The San Jose Sharks have lost another game, this time to the Vegas Golden Knights. While the 6-3 score is bad, the fact that the Sharks lost the team’s sixth straight game after leading heading into the third period is part of a more concerning trend for team teal. In all of the games, the Sharks have been in the mix, even playing better hockey than their opponents at certain points in the game. However, when it comes to closing things out, San Jose can’t seem to finish.
This game was a different special teams issue. In previous games, the team would give up a power play goal, allowing the other side to turn things the other way. However, in this instance, the Sharks gave up the game-tying goal during the split-second transition from 4-on-4 play to a Sharks power play.
Brayden McNasty š®āšØ pic.twitter.com/5xkEvtiQYs
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 28, 2024
Vegas won the faceoff and then, through simple passes, managed to move the puck up the ice and get behind the Sharks’ defense with little effort. Vegas made it look easy, scoring the game-tying goal before the Sharks power play could even come close to getting established.
Seconds later, the power play went awry as well. Jack Eichel made the Sharks pay with a second “shorthanded” goal in less than a minute.
QUITE THE PENALTY KILL pic.twitter.com/h2FpNnrqcQ
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 28, 2024
Thanks to a slow start by the Sharks in the third period, the score swung from 3-2 in favor of the Sharks to 4-3 in favor of the Golden Knights.
For some reason, San Jose cannot figure out how to hold onto a lead in the third period. While the on-ice product looks much, much better than what was offered up last season by management, there’s still a long way to go. It’s something that Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky recognizes, based on his postgame comments.
Warsofsky: "We don't know what it takes to win in this league."
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 28, 2024
“We don’t know what it takes to win in this league,” said Warsofsky.
Leading up to the third period
That said, the Sharks continue to contend with the top teams in the league leading into the third period. As you can see from Natural Stat Trick’s Corsi differential at 5-on-5 play, the Sharks are fighting for control of the puck, even taking over portions of the game.
Notice that the Sharks took over possession in the first period and then pulled things back in their favor in the third period.
This is a huge difference from the beginning of the season when the Sharks were only maintaining play for small periods of time and often nothing sustained long enough to create a noticeable swing in play.
Notice how in the game in Vegas on Oct. 26, the Sharks didn’t start out well and seemed battle hard even to try and bring possession back to the 50-50 mark. The Sharks have made much more significant swings in play when you compare the two charts.
Highlight
The highlight of the night has to go to Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, who scored his first NHL goal.
Shakir Mukhamadullin scores his first NHL goal āļø pic.twitter.com/iR6HWI7OKq
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 28, 2024
It’s very heartening as a Sharks fan to watch the young players have success. Will Smith, in the faceoff circle, fights with his man to allow Fabian Zetterlund to swoop in and win the puck for the Sharks. Then, a quick pass to Mukhamadullin, who tees it up without a second thought.
Scoring summary for Vegas Golden Knights at San Jose Sharks Dec. 27, 2024
First Period
6:58 VGK Noah Hanifin from Victor Olofsson and Alex Pietrangelo
14:40 SJS Shakir Mukhamadullin from Fabian Zetterlund and Will Smith
Second Period
3:27 VGK Mark Stone from Victor Olofsson and Zach Whitecloud
5:53 SJS Will Smith from Macklin Celebrini and Fabian Zetterlund
15:57 SJS Tyler Toffoli from Mikael Granlund and Barclay Goodrow
Third Period
1:03 VGK Brayden McNabb from Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo shorthanded
1:26 VGK Jack Eichel from Mark Stone and Brayden McNabb shorthanded
5:46 VGK Pavel Dorofeyev from Brett Howden and Cole Schwindt
19:28 VGK Brett Howden from William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo into the empty net
