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Sharks 4, Ducks 1: Ivan Chekhovich’s big night opens preseason in a big way

Posted on by Sie Morley

The Sharks have an exciting group of kids.

With a very young roster, led by such grizzled veterans as Brenden Dillon and Barclay Goodrow, the Sharks out-shot the Ducks by a wild 40-22. The game saw a significant amount of special teams time, with the Sharks missing out on four power play opportunities and the Ducks making good on one of their three.

Antoine Bibeau looked good in net, but the forwards did their best to keep things busier at the opposite end of the ice. Goodrow had a 3-point night, followed by Ivan Chekhovich with 2 points, and Rourke Chartier with a single goal.

We’ll have a more in-depth recap in the morning, but in the meantime, read the live reactions to the game below:

Rosters

These California rivals are taking different approaches to veteran presence in their first game of the year. The Sharks are icing veterans like Brenden Dillon, Barclay Goodrow, Joonas Donskoi and Tomas Hertl, while the Ducks have opted for Ryan Getzlaf, Andrew Cogliano, Andrej Sustr and Cam Fowler.

The real excitement is in seeing Ryan Merkley, Alexander Chmelevski and Ivan Chekhovich in some real(-ish) NHL action.

Both teams are putting out goaltending prospects, with Antoine Bibeau and Zachary Edmond in nets for the Sharks and Jared Coreau and Kevin Boyle for the Ducks.

Stay tuned here for the liveblog at puck drop at 7:30 PT/10:30 ET.

Pregame

Here are the Sharks lines:

Note the Goodrow should be on the fourth line instead of Sorensen. Pashelka also mentioned that SAP Center has finally fixed their lighting and the Dillon and Donskoi are wearing letters for the evening. Chmelevski and Roy are scratched.

Bibeau is starting for the Sharks.

First Period

7:41: Did we all forget how stop-and-go preseason hockey is? Woof.

7:45: Kevin Labanc had his shot blocked, but leading up to that was a lot of work from the Suomela-Donskoi line.

7:47: The Sharks feel like they’re doing better at setting up in their zone than the Ducks are.

7:53: Merkley took a penalty for holding the stick. Rookie mistake! Anaheim power play.

7:55: Look, I’m not gonna tell you how to live your life, but Getzlaf on the power play in the preseason…just let the kids have it.

8:00: Ryan Merkley is as promised. Good god.

8:05: Radil wiffed on a good scoring chance. His age doesn’t make him terribly exciting already, but that was pretty bad.

8:07: Another Sharks penalty, this time Nick DeSimone for hooking.

8:08: I know they’re tonight’s top pairing, but I feel like Merkley and Dillon penalty killing in most situations feels ill-advised.

8:12: Merkley with a wraparound attempt. I cannot believe this kid’s skill level. Unreal.

8:12: Ducks’ Brian Gibbons called for interference, getting the Sharks a few seconds of power play time before the period wraps up.

END OF FIRST: Sharks 0, Ducks 0

Second Period

8:31: Second period, starting with a power play. I’m so ready.

8:32: Merkley is all over this game. Maybe it’s just because I know he’s very young and very small, but he really does look a bit small compared to a lot of these older players.

8:35: Tripping call on Dillon. Back to the penalty kill.

8:37: Shutout broken. Anton Rodin from Corey Tropp and Brandon Montour puts Anaheim up 1-0 on the power play.

8:42: Rourke Chartier just ended Coreau’s entire life and tied the game, 1-1.

8:45: Ducks penalty for too many men, Sharks power play.

8:47: Penalty killed. Really messy effort from the Sharks

8:49: HOLY HERTL.

8:52: Anaheim swapped their goalies a few minutes ago and no one noticed. Kevin Boyle in net now.

8:56: Ivan Chekhovich just made a very smart play off Barclay Goodrow and put the Sharks up 2-1. I believe they call this “team work”:

END OF SECOND: Sharks 2, Ducks 1

Third Period

9:25: Gambrell did not look good with that turnover at the blue line.

9:27: DeBoer is keeping Bibeau out for the third, so no look at Emond tonight.

9:31: Sideroff with a slashing penalty means jaws-themed power play.

9:37: The Sharks are back on the power play after a real obvious trip on Rourke Chartier by Marcus Pettersson.

9:40: Ivan Chekhovich wants a power play goal and I think we should let him have it. He got two quick scoring chances right in a row.

9:48: The Ducks can’t buy a shot to save their lives. Currently 35-20 in favor of Team Teal.

9:54: Big time slow down this period. Less than two minutes left with just a 2-1 lead. Barclay Goodrow with an empty-netter just put this thing to bed.

9:56: Ivan Chekhovich is a bad, bad man. Just a wild second goal for the kid.

END OF THIRD: Sharks 4, Ducks 1

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