When the San Jose Sharks skated onto the ice in the third period, it looked like the team might finally clinch its first win of the season. The score was 3-2 Sharks, thanks in large part to another strong performance by goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. When the Carolina Hurricanes iced the puck three times to start the third, everything seemed to be going right in the Shark Tank. Then the wheels fell off.
Carolina reeled off four unanswered goals. When the final horn sounded, the score was 6-3 in favor of the Hurricanes.
“I thought the first five minutes [of the third period], I mean there was some tempo there,” said Head Coach David Quinn after the game. “They iced the puck three times. So, I thought okay, we’ve found it, and then the penalties just really took the life out of us.”
Carolina scored a pair of power play goals in the third, one to tie the game and another to take the lead. The goals came less than three minutes apart. San Jose had seven penalties in total and Quinn said the parade to the box was indicative of the Sharks’ play.
“When you don’t skate and hit, you’re gonna get penalties. That’s what happened. Just bad penalties. Lazy, lazy penalties,” said Quinn.
Zetterlund scores his first in 26 games
The three goals of the night came off the sticks of three different Sharks players. Fabian Zetterlund got things started when he went top shelf on a breakaway goal less than four minutes into the first period.
Fabian Zetterlund scores his first goal as a Shark ‼️ pic.twitter.com/nM3UmeAQia
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 18, 2023
Zetterlund received a nice feed from Tomas Hertl up the middle of the ice and turned and took off.
“It was great to see Zetterlund get his first…goal because he’s earned it. He’s a guy that’s worked hard and had a really good for three games for us,” said Quinn after the game.
For Zetterlund, the goal was a relief.
“When you score after 26 games, of course, it’s a nice feeling. And it was a good to pass by Tommy and I got a breakaway there,” said Zetterlund.
Zadina scores his second goal of the season
The score was 1-1 heading into the locker room after the first period.
In the second, Carolina scored a shorthanded goal and it looked like the tide would finally turn in the Hurricanes’ favor. But then, Filip Zadina quickly put an end to that. Just 17 seconds after the shorthanded goal by Jaccob Slavin, Zadina scored a power play goal to tie things up at two apiece.
Filip Zadina ties it on the power-play goal 🚨 pic.twitter.com/zF09fDjHMA
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 18, 2023
Zadina is clearly feeling rejuvenated to start the season, though his emotions were muted because of the loss.
“I mean, really glad that the puck’s going in. It’s nice, but obviously, we want to win as a team,” said Zadina. “And everybody in this locker room [is] trying to score the goal, help the team to win in any way we’re able to. Obviously, it feels amazing. I’m really happy and appreciative that I scored another goal. Just want to win.”
Eklund scores his first of the season
William Eklund wrapped up the scoring for the Sharks late in the second period when San Jose finally scored on the power play.
Eklund is Eklund-ing 🚨@Williameklund72 | #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/gOqhspRjyt
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 18, 2023
A puck off the end boards fortuitously bounced to Eklund on the side of the net whose quick hands tucked it past Hurricanes’ goaltender Antti Raanta.
It was 3-2 at the end of the second.
The third period did not go well for San Jose, as previously explained. Stefan Noesen, Seth Jarvis, Martin Necas and Brett Pesce all scored for the Hurricanes to seal the 6-3 win.
