San Jose Sharks Postgame Recap: Sharks Allow Opportunity To Slip Away

In a surprise second start in a row, Aaron Dell played a fantastic game.  Unfortunately, the San Jose Sharks to a wasted a great overall effort to lose in OT at Madison Square Garden against an Original Six team in the New York Rangers.

The San Jose Sharks lose to the New York Rangers in a game where the they were heavily favored to win. This was a frustrating loss because the Sharks needed to bank two points against a very bad Rangers team.

The San Jose Sharks continued to pour it on their opponents while allowing very few shots.  In keeping with the early story-lines of this early season, they had several scoring chances and just were unable to put the game away. Give credit to Henrik Lundqvist, who was locked in tonight. Bottom line, the Sharks need to start putting their chances in the net.

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The Blueshirts continued to press through the game, refusing to go away and generating only three less scoring chances than the Sharks while being handily out shot. However, several of the scoring chances were of the high danger variety off second opportunities, which are very hard.  Dell was great tonight for the Sharks, but it just wasn’t enough.

First Period

The first period started a little loose for the San Jose Sharks. This is generally natural for superior teams against teams not expected to perform well. As a result the Blueshirts had several high danger scoring chances early, but Dell was up to the task. Particularly, Dell made a highlight reel save on a tip from Zuccarello.

The San Jose Sharks slowly began to take control of the period.  The Sharks were at one point outshooting the Rangers 10-1.  This didn’t go unrewarded.  While on the Penalty Kill, Marcus SCOREnson zoomed up the ice, put multiple inside out moves on the Rangers D and beat Lundqvist high glove-side for the shorty.

At 8:49 of the 1st period the Sharks went on their first Power Play.  They looked much better overall, but still lacked the sharpness expected.  To quote Sharks play by play announcer Jamie Baker “The Power Play just doesn’t look instinctual, but it will come soon.”

12 min into the period Brendan Dillon had a great hit on Pavel Buchnevich, which seemed to fire up Blueshirts. Shortly thereafter, the Rangers tied it up off of a broken play, and a very nice through the legs backhand from youngster Brett Howden that found its way through Dell’s five-hole. The San Jose Sharks challenged the play for offside unsuccessfully, and for the first time the Sharks were the victims of the new-ish challenge rule giving the Rangers a power play.

Though the San Jose Sharks were dominating the remainder of the period was uneventful. The Sharks ended the first period leading in shots 17-6 and high danger scoring chances 9-4, but with the score tied 1-1.

Second Period

As a result of a hooking penalty to finish the first period, the Sharks started the second period on the power play.  After an initial flurry and beauty of a scoring chance, the power play fizzled out and the score remained tied.  For the next few minutes, the Sharks and Rangers skated back and forth on the ice with very few events.

However, that quickly changed. After a solid defensive play by Brent Burns (whaaaaa?), he turned and fired a beautiful outlet pass to the breaking Antti Suomela. Joonas Donskoi joined Suomela to create a two on one rush.  After wonderful patience by Suomela and sweet pass to Donskoi, the Donfather roofed the puck for a 2 to 1 lead for the San Jose Sharks.

At the 6 min mark of the second period, the Rangers put on a strong push. Multiple turnovers from the San Jose Sharks resulted in a few grade-A scoring chances over the next three minutes.  Dell, who was solid in his first game of the season against the Flyers, continued his excellent play by being more than up to the task.

After a little tussle, on what should have been a penalty on the Rangers for a late hit on Suomela, after the whistle had blown, time dwindled away on the remainder of the period.  The San Jose Sharks closed the period leading in shots 33-15, scoring chances 22-15, HDSC 15-5, and where it matters the most, leading 2 to 1 on the scoreboard.

Third Period

The period started with a very exciting play by Dell, in a bad way. He went behind the net, and whiffed on his clearing attempt. The result was the Sharks holding their breath for a few moments until the puck was cleared.

The Rangers used their momentum to put several more shots on goal including a high danger scoring chance that went just to the right of Dell.

At 4:01 of the 3rd Period, Chartier nearly had his first goal when a beautiful steal turned into a two on zero. The puck careened off a his stick and off the post.

A minute and a half later, Evander Kane, working the boards earned his team a power play. After some nifty play by the first unit, Lundqvist stood tall, as he had all game and the score remained 2-1 Sharks.  It was the best the San Jose Sharks 1st unit had looked in this early season and it was unfortunate they were unable to capitalize.

For the next eleven minutes of the game the San Jose Sharks and Rangers continued to trade chances, with the Rangers taking it to the Sharks for the most part. The Sharks seemed to turtle in their own zone and the result was the tying goal by the Rangers Brendan Smith at 17:21.

The period ended tied 2-2 and overtime awaited the San Jose Sharks.

Overtime

Free 3 on 3 hockey!!!

The Sharks started with Erik Karlsson, Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl.  They controlled the puck, but a turnover by Erik Karlsson deep in the Sharks zone resulted in the break the other way for the Rangers. A little misstep in positioning by Dell and a snipe by Brady Skjei and the game ended 37 seconds into OT with a Rangers win.

See ya on Sunday at 1pm Eastern against the Devils.