The San Jose Sharks avoided making the worst start in NHL history during their matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. After a historically bad 0-10-1 start to the season, team Teal managed to hold off the Flyers for a 2-1 win, their first after 12 games.
The win comes after the Sharks allowed 10 goals in back-to-back games against the Vancouver Canucks (10-1) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (10-2).
The Sharks took an early lead in the first with assists from Mikael Granlund and Kevin Lebanc, while Anthony Duclair netted an over the shoulder goal, marking his third for the season.
In the second, Sharks’ William Eklund scored on the power play with an assist from Duclair for a 2-0 lead. The Flyers’ Joel Farabee scored late in the second but the Sharks held on for the rest of the game.
Sharks’ goalie Mackenzie Blackwood gave a strong performance with 38 saves, earning him the first star of the game.
“I thought we did a great job tonight and I’m proud of the team,” Blackwood said. “It’s a lot of relief in here. Everyone’s happy. It’s been a long time coming and now we can take a breath and start to try to put some more together.”
While winning, the Sharks were outshot 39-19, but had a 69.8 faceoff win percentage, still leaving room for improvement with shots on goal.
Sharks veteran Tomas Hertl logged the most minutes on ice at 22:47 and four of the 19 shots on goal. With captain Logan Couture still out, leadership by example from veteran players like Hertl could be a key piece for the team.
“Can’t be just one game because we want to keep rolling from that and just be ready for [the] next game,” Hertl said after the win, “We have to show up every night like that otherwise it will be like the two games before.”
Coach David Quinn shared this sentiment, “We’ve won one but this is what we need to do, day in and day out. I think there’s another level for us to get to and we can play better.”
The Sharks picked up defenseman Calen Addison in exchange for Adam Raska and a 2026 fifth round draft pick on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Addison was first selected by the Penguins in the second round of the 2018 draft before trading him to the Wild in 2020.
The defenseman has five points in 12 games with the Wild. A puck-moving, offensive d-man, Addison could bring needed change on a Sharks power-play unit.
The young player’s arrival will be a reunion with ex-Wild teammates Nico Sturm and Kaapo Kahkonen. “Couple Iowa and Minnesota Wild guys,” Addison said, “It makes it easier coming in when you know a couple guys.”
Before Thursday’s game against the Oilers, Addison spoke on being on the Sharks’ top power-play unit. “For me it’s just about playing the game, moving the puck and moving my feet. Just going to focus on that and do everything I can to show my teammates and coaches that I’m ready to go.”
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