Eklund Wins It! Sharks’ 2-1 OT Over Caps

WASHINGTON — The San Jose Sharks head to Capital One Arena to take on the Washington Capitals.

Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund scored, and the Sharks pulled out a 2-1 OT victory.

Period 1

1 in: Outstanding start for the San Jose Sharks, Granlund and Kostin dominate puck down low, Smith in the mix too, Kostin had a step on Chychrun for a loose puck, you love to see that, Chychrun was closer. Liljegren had a couple bids in the high slot.

Grundstrom penalty: Tough call, I think, but Grundstrom on forecheck, separates Fehervary as F1 with cross-check. Didn’t look like much, maybe they don’t call it if it wasn’t going to lead to a Grundstrom breakaway. Grundstrom obviously slumping so hopefully his teammates can pick him up here.

Kunin off PK draw, shows again that little more separation in his skating this year.

4 in: How did that Dubois cross-slot one-timer not go in? Saved by the post.

5 in: Like Thrun there, Celebrini was open on right lane, but mature play, Caps’ defense was set, so Thrun insists on dump-in and change after minute-long shift.

7 in: Maturity here too, Toffoli gets it in DZ, could maybe lead rush, but he knows himself, he slows it down, scans for pass/stretch option as everybody skates ahead of him. Credit to Caps D, there’s no option, but Toffoli doesn’t force it. He gains the center line, dumps it in, and the Sharks go to forecheck work.

9 in: Maybe Celebrini will learn from this? He had speed exiting left lane DZ, was pushing back D. Chose to stretch it to an almost stationary Zetterlund who was double-covered, Caps D there decided to both cover Zetterlund, they could’ve recovered if Celebrini pushed the pace himself. Zetterlund sticks it in for the dump-in, but he had little speed and no help. Maybe Celebrini pushes the pace in the future, allowing Zetterlund to join him? Pure 2-on-2 versus Caps D, Celebrini leading the rush, don’t mind San Jose Sharks’ odds there.

Since the Grundstrom penalty, Caps separating a bit in terms of overall driving play. Sharks need a strong response.

9 left: Good read by Smith to spy that Caps’ give-and-go in slot.

6 left: Whoa looks like Blackwood somehow got to that Raddysh stuff. Like I said, Washington is separating and San Jose hasn’t found a response.

Pretty passing from Granlund line, each forward, leads to Kostin shot. But I wonder if the team as a whole needs to simplify. They need the leaders to do it.

5 left: Blackwood beats Chychrun one-on-one in slot. Sharks had chances, but struggled to exit. That’s bad hockey. They can’t play like they’re going to score five every night, that’s what I’m seeing right now.

2 left: Good Kostin shift, comes back and takes it when Strome, getting fancy, Ceci sticks away his spin-o-rama pass. Then on forecheck, he wins it, finds Smith in the slot for a good chance. Maybe Caps getting loose?

Toffoli goal: Swear I thought that before this goal! But Sandin tries a stretch pass through double coverage, Toffoli eats it up, and the winger uses Sandin as a screen, beats Thompson from distance. Deflected too?

Sharks haven’t been great, Blackwood had to make 16 saves, but they took advantage of the Caps’ looseness. San Jose will need to clean up their game though to get the two points.

Period 2

4 in: Eklund likes to drag and set up the big shot on the rush, but I wonder if he needs the quick wrister mixed in there too, have seen that set-up get sticked away recently (Walman goal versus Kraken, I think). Either way, shot has to come off faster.

7 in: Let’s see if the San Jose Sharks can hang on this period, can already see the long change is tough on them.  This period has been more basic though so far.

8 in: One of those games, Smith looks like he’s like a year or two and like 10 pounds away from dominating. Had a quarter-step there with puck, but his stick got batted away. So close tonight on multiple occasions. Also a way of saying his brain is processing the best league in the world, just the body hasn’t quite caught up.

9 in: Best Sharks shift of the game, authored by Wennberg line. Toffoli has had a strong game besides his goal. Love. Active sticks all over. Walman in the middle of everything too, his speed allows him to be aggressive down low, then recover if need be. Line had OZ possession for like a minute. Leads to icing, then Celebrini line follows with a decent shift. Start stacking them up!

8 left: Not blaming Ceci there, but that’s a place, Granlund rush, Sharks have momentum, Ceci in OZ, turnover. That’s a “kill shot” place, you got possession deep in OZ, another player does something, you keep the pressure on. Again, not blaming Ceci. There’s a place for players like him on very good teams. But these are small momentum swings.

Dowd goal: Again, swear I was typing previous thought as Dowd goal happened. Instead of a good chance in Caps zone, you lose a faceoff draw, then there’s a mix-up on coverage off draw, someone loses center Dowd. Too easy.

6 left: But credit the Sharks, they’ve kept up this period’s strong play despite the Dowd mishap. Smith had a breakaway but couldn’t corral stretch pass. Going back to my thought about Smith being so close tonight.

Also, Walman did a tremendous job of covering for Ceci, who was up a little, McMichael I think had a step. But perfect example of what Walman can do for you, he could afford to vacate his side to help Ceci because looks like McMichael was on a solo foray. He erases McMichael. Think Walman has been really good tonight.

3 left: Good-bad hockey from the Sharks there. Eklund’s soft backhand exit pass up middle gets intercepted without exit, then Zetterlund on rush drops it off to an empty point. But Thrun made a wicked one-touch exit pass to spring Zetterlund there.

2 left: Kostin being a force in OZ. Like.

Save for one DZ coverage mistake, the Sharks have played a fantastic period.

Period 3

4 in: A shift that Smith will want back, three passes, none of them connected. But no harm, no foul this time.

8 in: Hairy, but hard backcheck negates Caps’ 2-on-1. Sharks have generally continued strong play after 1st.

10 in: Little thing, but love Wennberg NZ forecheck puck win with skate. Just a dump-in and line change from there for Sharks, but so important to winning hockey and blunting opposition momentum.

9 left: Celebrini line all over the puck on that shift. Thompson got a toe on a Zetterlund deflection.

7 left: Granlund made Dowd work on that exit. Has been a grind it out period.

5 left: Grundstrom and Zetterlund, so close. Rush chance there.

3 left: Celebrini just puts constant pressure on goalie. Not every pass works or connects or is seamless, but it’s always high-danger because of bounces. Like that spin-o-rama pass that misses target but lands on Thompson.

OT

Celebrini-Wennberg-Eklund-Granlund on OT PP to start.