The San Jose Sharks faced the Vegas Golden Knights three times this season, losing each game. Despite setbacks, Team Teal had several performance trends to analyze after the season series.
Vitek Vanecek started in net, allowing seven goals on 42 shots (.833 SV%). The Sharks managed 26 shots but struggled defensively.
Mikael Granlund scored once, finishing -3 with two giveaways. William Eklund had one assist but was -2 on the night.
Jake Walman played 20:48 with three shots, one hit and one block. Walman and Cody Ceci were the only defensemen with a minus-one rating.
The Sharks changed up their roster with AHL recalls like Shakir Mukhamadullin and new acquisitions like Nikolai Kovalenko.
Alexandar Georgiev started in net, saving 30 of 35 shots (.857 SV%). Mukhamadullin scored his first goal and added three blocks.
Nico Sturm contributed with one goal, two takeaways, and five hits. Granlund scored again but finished -4 with four giveaways.
Georgiev shone with a .927 SV% (38 saves on 41 shots). However, the Sharks only generated 21 shots.
Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky spoke to the press post-game and said, “Puck play was soft, we didn’t execute. We were soft to play against.”
Eklund scored one goal for the team and added five shots but finished -1.
Timothy Liljegren scored the final Sharks’ goal of the game on the power play and logged four hits.
“It was a good power play,” Warsofsky told the press post-game, “It was the only thing that was good tonight.”
Walman last played on December 21 against the Edmonton Oilers, in a 3-2 overtime loss. For December, Walman was averaging 23:32 TOI, a critical presence on the blueline. His absence in Games 2 and 3 significantly impacted the Sharks’ defensive depth.
Currently on injured reserve, Walman is hoping to play in Friday’s matchup against Utah Hockey Club.
Sturm, usually slotted on third or fourth line, was also unavailable in Tuesday’s matchup. The center has been day-to-day with a lower-body injury, last playing in the Sharks 2-1 win over Tampa.
Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports that Zetterlund is playing through a day-to-day lower-body injury. The left winger is likely to play against Utah on Friday.
Goaltender Vitek Vanecek suffered a fractured cheekbone after being struck by a puck while on the bench. The injury happened while the Sharks hosted the Winnipeg Jets for a 4-3 loss in December.
Georgiev’s goaltending performances improved over time, finishing Game 3 with a .927 SV%.
Team Teal’s discipline improved from eight penalty minutes in the first matchup, to just two in their final one.
Sharks’ shot totals declined from 26 in Game 1 to 21 in Game 3. Offense regressed throughout the series.
On a positive note, the Sharks roster had the opportunity to further develop young talent. Players like Mukhamadullin, Kovalenko, Colin Graf, Danil Gushchin, Jack Thompson, Will Smith, and Macklin Celebrini gained experience.
The Sharks showed flashes of improvement but failed to match Vegas’ offensive and defensive consistency. They finished winless in the season series.
Next up, the 13-24-6 Sharks take on the 17-15-7 Utah Hockey Club on Friday.
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Featured image courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com
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