Quick Bites: Sharks snap skid, beat STL 5-1

With only three wins this season, it’s fairly easy to say that this may have been the Sharks’ best game of the campaign. Last night, the Sharks beat the St. Louis Blues 5-1, taking an early lead in the first period and then piling it on in the second before riding out the storm in the third. San Jose received goals from three of its four lines and backing them all up was Kaapo Kahkonen, who made key saves at key moments of the game to prevent St. Louis from making a game of it. It was a complete team performance, with eight different skaters registering at least one point.

Givani gets a goal

While Mike Hoffman scored two goals, William Eklund scored one and Luke Kunin scored his third in three games, it was Givani Smith’s goal that got everyone excited.

3-0 SHARKS LEAD 🥳 pic.twitter.com/qNa78QGTCc

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 17, 2023

“Everyone was excited and energizing,” said Smith’s linemate Ryan Carpenter after the game. “Guy’s [Smith has] already stuck up for a couple of guys this year after big hits. When a guy does that, guys in the locker room notice and so everyone was really excited for him scoring. Maybe even after that pass too. The pass was maybe even nicer.”

Smith was on a line with Carpenter and Kunin. The trio scored two quick goals less than a minute apart to make it 4-0 early in the second period. Smith scored the first and then earned the primary assist on Kunin’s goal with a nice pass to Kunin in the slot.

WHAT IS HAPPENING 😱 pic.twitter.com/BNh55taAfo

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 17, 2023

During the game, the Sharks pointed out that Smith’s marked his place in Sharks’ history. He was the franchise’s 300th player to score a goal. When The Hockey News’ Max Miller told Smith about it after the game, he was surprised.

“That’s really cool. Definitely take that and tell my family about that one because that’s pretty amazing,” said Smith.

The goal was a just reward for the way Smith stuck to his game and his role with the Sharks. He continued to play a physical brand of hockey, jumping in when Calen Addison was pushing and shoving with a Blues player next to the benches and away from the play. Smith was also credited with two hits.

When asked by San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng if the Blues were trying to get him to go, Smith smiled.

“Not me, to be honest,” said Smith. “Maybe somebody else. I was more of the, you know, trying to see who would go.”

Laying down for Kahkonen

While unsuccessful, it looked like the Sharks were doing their level best to get Kahkonen his first shutout of the season. There was a point in the second half of the third period where Fabian Zetterlund laid down in front of the puck to keep it away from Kahkonen. It was 1 of 21 shots blocked in front of the Sharks netminder last night.

Meanwhile, Kahkonen was solid in net. He picked up the pieces when the team made a mistake. He made key saves when the team needed them the most. Specifically in the first when St. Louis pushed to tie the game. And later in the game when the Blues seemed to wake up and realize the team could be the Sharks’ third victim of the season.

Great couple of saves by Kahkonen pic.twitter.com/LckjyvepM2

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) November 17, 2023

Still outshot, but that’s okay

The shot clock will show that the Sharks were once again outshot. The Blues registered 45 shots, while the Sharks had just 35. However, the stat looks a little different when you examine it on a period by period basis.

In the first period, the Sharks outshot the Blues 15-11 and led the game 1-0 when the horn sounded. It was one of the few times all season that the Sharks outshot an opponent in a period.

San Jose was not content to sit back in the second period. the team continued to push, and, 3:25 into the second, the Sharks were up 4-0. Blues’ Head Coach Craig Berube called a timeout and changed goaltenders, allowing the Blues players to get their feet back under them, but the damage was done. While the Blues outshot the Sharks 16-12 in the second period according to Natural Stat Trick, the Sharks were still up 4-0. What’s more, the Sharks and Blues were tied in shots at 27 apiece after two periods.

Contrast that to just a week ago, when the Golden Knights outshot the Sharks 28-12 after two periods.