San Jose Sharks Look to Rebound From Bitter Loss When They Host the Anaheim Ducks
Following a disappointing opening day result, blowing a 4-1 lead to the St Louis Blues, Ryan Warsofsky's San Jose Sharks get a chance to bounce right back. Tonight, the Sharks will fight an old and bitter rival, the Anaheim Ducks. An interstate derby between two California teams will allow the Shark Tank to host its only clash between the two this year, with the other two being at the Pond in Anaheim. Can the Sharks make amends for their disappointment on opening night?
Well, there's a major unknown right now: the 2024 first-overall pick, Macklin Celebrini. Currently dealing with an undisclosed injury, Celebrini was not at practice yesterday and may not play tonight against the Ducks. While it is the right decision to sit Celebrini if he has any kind of ailment right now, it is disappointing to see him miss time so soon after his spectacular NHL debut.
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Anaheim will be the final team of the 32 across the NHL to get their season underway after Washington dropped the puck with New Jersey earlier in the day. A little bit of rust for this Ducks team will favor the Sharks. There are holes throughout this Ducks roster, and there are two points on the table for the Sharks if they can just put a solid performance together. They do not need much, just a better third period.
After Mackenzie Blackwood got the nod in the opener against the St Louis Blues, I expect to see Vitek Vanacek get the call tonight as the Czech netminder could make his Sharks debut. Officially acquired at the trade deadline last summer in the deal that sent Kaapo Kahkonen to the New Jersey Devils, Vanacek missed the remainder of the season with an injury and is looking to return to form in the crease.
Projected Lineups
Anaheim Ducks
Cutter Gauthier - Leo Carlsson - Alex Killorn
Robby Fabbri - Mason McTavish - Trevor Zegras
Frank Vatrano - Ryan Strome - Troy Terry
Brock McGinn - Isac Lundestrom - Brett Leason
Jackson Lacombe - Radko Gudas
Cam Fowler - Tristan Luneau
Pavel Mintyukov - Brian Dumoulin
Lucas Dostal
James Reimer
San Jose Sharks
William Eklund - Macklin Celebrini - Tyler Toffoli
Mikael Granlund - Will Smith - Fabian Zetterlund
Barclay Goodrow - Alex Wennberg - Luke Kunin
Danil Gushchin - Nico Sturm - Ty Dellandrea
Mario Ferraro - Jan Rutta
Jake Walman - Cody Ceci
Henry Thrun - Matt Benning
Vitek Vanacek
Mackenzie Blackwood
Puck Drop
Tonight, the Shark Tank is set to see the puck drop at 7 p.m. Pacific. It is a game that should be fascinating between two young teams with no pressure; there will be goals and entertainment. Can the Sharks get the better of the Ducks and expose that weak defense and crease in Orange County to get the two points tonight, or will the same defensive issues rear their heads for the Sharks to drop a few more points?