Quick bites: Sharks resilient in loss to Rangers

For the first two months of the season, the San Jose Sharks had trouble scoring on the road. The team never managed more than a goal per game, if that. However, since December started, the team has scored 11 goals in 2 road games. Admittedly, it’s a small sample size, but it seems as though the Sharks are starting to figure it out, or at least get some better “puck luck.”

Yesterday’s 6-5 loss to the New York Rangers is what you want to see from a tanking team. You want to see your players push back against an opponent with a better record and more skill. You want to see players who do not fold when they’re losing even though this season is basically a wash. That’s what the Sharks did; even when they were down, they kept pushing to close the gap and then try to tie the game.

Resiliency throughout

Look how the Sharks played at even strength throughout the game.

When the Rangers scored the game tying goal midway through the first period, there was a strong push by the Sharks that resulted in the Sharks taking back the lead.

In the third period, even though San Jose trailed 4-3 to start the period, the Sharks pushed to swing momentum back into the team’s favor. The Sharks controlled the play for a majority of that period and didn’t let up even after the Rangers added two more and it looked to be a blowout. Instead, San Jose dug in and scored two goals 1:12 apart to bring the team within one.

While the Sharks never completed the comeback, that’s okay. These are two teams at different stages of their development. The end result favored the team set to compete for the Cup, not the one in the middle of a rebuild.

Return of Alexander Barabanov and Jan Rutta

Both Alexander Barabanov and Jan Rutta returned to the Sharks line up after spending some time out with injuries and both players contributed in their first games back.

Jan Rutta had 18:10 of ice time and led the team in Corsi for percentage with 62.86%, according to Natural Stat Trick. Rutta had an assist on Ryan Carpenter’s goal in the first period that helped gain the lead for a short period of time.

Ryan Carpenter lights the lamp against his former team 🚨 pic.twitter.com/WYtdPq78uv

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) December 3, 2023

As for Barabanov, he scored a big goal for the Sharks in the team’s effort to come back in the third period. Despite missing several games with a broken finger, Barabanov had no problem parking himself at the front of the Rangers’ net and waiting for a very nice feed from Calen Addison to make it 6-5.

Barabanov's first goal back brings the Sharks within one 🏒 pic.twitter.com/YI2N2D2DDf

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) December 4, 2023

Contributions from everyone

For the second straight game, the Sharks received contributions from all over the roster. Nine different players had at least one point in this game. Three of the points came from defensemen – Jan Rutta (1 assist), Calen Addison (1 assist) and Kyle Burroughs (1 assist).

What’s more, five different players scored for the Sharks. It wasn’t one guy that had a good night (looking at you Artemi Panarin), it was a bunch of guys. Anthony Duclair scored his third goal in two games to get the Sharks started. Ryan Carpenter contributed for the fourth line. Jacob MacDonald scored as well. The goal was his third in two games. That’s as many goals as he had scored in his entire career up until this season. Fabian Zetterlund added his seventh of the season and, as we mentioned, Barabanov got a goal in his first game back from injury. It was a complete game from may of the players.

With that in mind, today’s highlight is the pretty pass from Burroughs to hit Duclair on the breakaway and give the Sharks a 1-0 lead in the first period. It’s even better when you realize that Duclair beat familiar Sharks’ foe Jonathan Quick.

THE DUKE WITH A BIG FIRST GOAL FOR THE SHARKS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/LnCMWRXqPM

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) December 3, 2023