2nd Time in Sharks History They’ve Had 2 Double-Digit Losing Streaks in a Season

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Winnipeg Jets to SAP Center.

Alexander Barabanov scored, but the Sharks dropped their 10th straight 2-1.

Period 1

5 in: 3-4 great saves by Blackwood off unforced Rutta turnover. Not sure where Rutta was going there, perhaps expected a teammate to be there who wasn’t.

9 in: San Jose Sharks have struggled to maintain their 5-on-5 play from last game. They’re just watching Jets so far in D-zone, visitors roar out to 6-1 shots edge, a couple Grade-A chances too. Blackwood sharp at least.

Then huge Blackwood save on Sharks legend Namestnikov on a literal 3-on-1. Sharks on snooze so far.

Studnicka had game’s first shot on goal 2:37 in. Been all Jets (and Blackwood) since then.

#SJSharks first shot on goal in over 10 minutes is a 170-foot clear by Henry Thrun. That kind of game so far

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2024

4 left: “Welcome to the party, pal” in my best John McClane voice. Sharks finally show up, a couple chances from Studnicka line, Barabanov nifty play up high to evade check and get it low, classic Barabanov, then Studnicka finds Barabanov in the slot. If Sharks get anything from this game, they can thank Blackwood that they weren’t down by a three-spot in the first 15 minutes.

1 left: Nice bounce Thrun indirect exit to Kunin.

First question to Blackwood post-game in his first appearance since before Christmas: “Your team was so bad in front of you in the first 15 minutes, did you think they were hazing you?”

Per @SPORTLOGiQ, #GoJetsGo up 6-1 Slot Shots, 6-0 High-Danger Chances in the 1st period.#SJSharks countered with Tomas Hertl going 6-for-6 on faceoffs (and Blackwood, of course!)

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 5, 2024

Period 2

5 in: Like how Ferraro evaded F1 Jonsson-Fjallby there. Simple, but part of how his play with puck has improved.

My press box neighbor Ken Wiebe suggests Luke Kunin as an interesting Trade Deadline candidate. Kunin is on an expiring deal, and has a lot of attributes that a contender would like…as long as the Sharks retain. $2.75 AAV is too high for how he’s performing.

8 in: Ferraro helps draw a penalty with his coast-to-coast rush there.

9 in: Granlund could have two goals on that PP, one post there. Good puck movement overall there.

Barabanov goal: Great entry by Eklund. Namestnikov doesn’t cut him off at line, and then neither he nor Appleton pick up Barabanov creeping down dot. Eklund passes it in soft spot when Barabanov is open for a brief moment, well-timed pass. Eklund has a playmaker’s gift in that regard.

Eklund had been rolling up points after his slow start to the season, but that was his first in six games.

San Jose Sharks-Jets now tied 13 apiece on shots. Credit to San Jose for waking up and Blackwood.

Barron goal: Looks like Barron outmuscles Addison to front. Studnicka looks like he had chance to clear too.

5 left: Not a good shift from Emberson with puck there. Then after big Ferraro block, drops in front of Eklund in DZ slot, the winger has more time but he just throws it to wall, turnover in DZ. That’s one of those, he had the right intentions, but experience will teach him to chill out there. A little panic there.

2 left: Another good offensive read by Ferraro, jumps up, Zadina hits him with perfect NZ pass.

Second-to-last shift of period, Barabanov looks like he got switched up with Hertl. Well-earned, if that sticks into third period. He’s been a bright spot going back to Colorado game.

Period 3

San Jose Sharks looking to avoid another black mark on their franchise history: A loss tonight will mean two double-digit losing streaks this season, which would be just the second time in their existence that’s happened (1992-93 Sharks had THREE such losing streaks). Even the expansion Sharks avoided this ignominious achievement.

Vilardi goal: Blackwood does his best, but Sharks PK was gassed by the time on his slam dunk. Rutta a tick slow on Vilardi?

8 in: Good curl back by Eklund in DZ under duress, buys him time and eventually draws a penalty.

Good PP movement between Granlund and Addison high. Sets up Addison high slot bid. Then good battle in corner from Granlund versus Appleton, looked like it would be Jets puck, but Granlund made it a 50-50.

9 left: Good job by Ferraro to navigate out of a bit of a suicide pass from Thrun.

Dillon gives Granlund a little bit of a ride into the boards after puck leaves the center’s stick, Kunin right on Dillon pushing back. Granlund fine, good job by Kunin to respond there.

8 left: Good hustle by Bailey on desperate backcheck to negate a potential 2-on-1 for Jets.

7 left: Quick off the wall from Eklund with puck.

Zadina has also moved ahead of Duclair, he’s now on third line.

4 left: Good offensive shift from Ferraro, hard cross-slot pass to Hertl, then on his giveback to point, deflected by a Jet, but he stops that Jet’s momentum with a stick check, helps Sharks keep in.

1 left: Eklund can’t pass that shot up.