With games against powerhouse teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche to start the new year, it was the Arizona Coyotes who handed the San Jose Sharks their first loss of 2019.
In the first period, the Sharks looked like a team on the second half of a back-to-back. The squad surrendered 17 shots to the Coyotes in all situations. Not a good way to start a game.
On those 17 shots came two goals by the desert dogs, the first coming from Lawson Crouse. The second goal for the Coyotes came a few minutes later, when Richard Panik converted on his short-handed breakaway chance. The Sharks were down 2-0 just five minutes into the game, but they did have an answer. Kevin Labanc scored off a rebound to cut the Coyotes’ lead to one.
The start of the second period brought added misery to the Sharks’ night. The Coyotes tallied two more goals, including one that Pete DeBoer challenged as offside and lost, resulting in a penalty. Nonetheless, Evander Kane cut the deficit two with under ten minutes left in the period. More scoring chances came for the Sharks, but the bounces didn’t go their way and the Coyotes headed into the locker room with a 4-2 lead.
It was a quiet start to the third period, but Logan Couture helped close the Sharks’ deficit, beating Darcy Kuemper on his glove side. With less than five minutea left in the game, though, they weren’t able to get the tying goal. The Coyotes added two empty net goals to ice it and snap the Sharks’ seven-game win streak.
Pregame
The Sharks are hot. On fire. Hot fire. Winners of seven in a row, San Jose is taking a quick jaunt to Arizona to face their in-division rivals. Are they rivals? No one really knows.
Arizona, on the other hand, has won just 50 percent of their last 10 games and remain in second-to-last place in the Pacific Division with a goal differential of -14. Not good, Bob.
The Desert Dogs’ record has been somewhat unkind to the team, however. Their goal differential is just one goal more negative than fourth-place Edmonton. Luckily for the ‘Yotes, Anaheim’s slide is in no danger of stopping soon, and the Kings are equally inept.
Enough with the pleasantries. Let’s see how each team has played of late:
The Coyotes have improved their share of expected goals, rocketing into positive territory and hanging around with the big boys over their last few contests. Their bark may be worse than their bite, however.
Arizona’s shot rate is moving the wrong direction. As crucial as scoring chances are to, well, scoring, it’s difficult to do when your shot volume is in the doldrums. San Jose must bank on their strong shot and chance numbers in order to take down the ‘Yotes.
Sharks Lines
Projected lines for the #SJSharks visit to the desert dogs. pic.twitter.com/Yy5oZydWzR
— Fear the Fin (@fearthefin) January 17, 2019
Coyotes Lines
Clayton Keller — Jordan Weal — Cristian Fischer
Richard Panik — Derek Stepan — Vinnie Hinestroza
Alex Galchenyuk — Nick Cousins — Conor Garland
Lawson Crouse — Mario Kempe — Josh Archibald
Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Niklas Hjalmarsson
Jakob Chychrun — Ilya Lyubushkin
Alex Goligoski — Jordan Oesterle
Darcy Kuemper
Where to Watch
Puck drop from Gila River Arena is at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET, with television coverage on NBCSN. The radio call will be on 98.5 KFOX. Check back then for live updates and reactions.
Hey everyone, Eddie here and I’ll be with you all for tonight’s action against the Arizona Coyotes.
First Period
20:00: So we have to wait seven minutes until NBCSN shows Sharks-Coyotes? Please don’t let the Bruins score and send this game to overtime.
20:00: Sean Couturier scores to make it 4-2 Flyers, so looks like no OT and the Sharks game will only be marginally late, hooray?
20:00: Finally, the Sharks-Coyotes game that should’ve been airing 14 minutes ago can start on NBCSN.
17:29: Goal. Aaron Dell gets a piece of a shot from Lawson Crouse, but not enough to keep it out of the net. 1-0, Coyotes.
16:01: Penalty. Niklas Hjalmarsson heads to the penalty box for hooking and it’s a power play for the Sharks.
15:21: Goal. Richard Panik scores a short-handed breakaway goal.
14:00: Coyotes kill the Hjalmarsson penalty.
13:07: GOAL! Kevin Labanc cuts the Coyotes’ lead in half, scoring off a rebound.
8:23: Alex Galchenyuk at the doorstep with a scoring chance, but Dell denies him.
6:34: Penalty. Joonas Donskoi heads to the box for tripping.
4:34: The Sharks kill off the Donskoi penalty.
3:42: Clayton Keller with a scoring opportunity, but Dell says no.
END OF FIRST: Sharks 1, Coyotes 2
Sharks with some scoring chances toward the end of the period, but none result in a goal.
Second Period
18:04: Erik Karlsson with a excellent pass to give Marcus Sorensen a scoring chance, but no goal comes out of it.
14:56: Goal. Christian Fischer’s shot goes off Erik Karlsson’s skate and it’s 3-1 Coyotes.
12:52: Barclay Goodrow with a potential scoring chance, but Vinnie Hinostroza closes to gap to deny him.
12:10: Goal. Oliver Ekman-Larsson fires a shot through a screen of people and not much Dell can do there.
12:10: Goal is under review for offside (Sharks Challenge).
12:10: Call Stands. It remains 4-1 Coyotes.
12:10: Penalty. Unsuccessful challenge by the Sharks and the Coyotes head to the power play.
10:10: Penalty Kill. Sharks kill the delay of game penalty.
9:45: GOAL! Evander Kane cuts the Coyotes’ lead to two.
5:32: WHAT A STOP BY DELL! Denied Panik with the pad or paddle, whatever, it was an amazing save!
3:20: Sharks with some scoring chances, but Darcy Kuemper somehow keeps the puck out.
END OF SECOND: Sharks 2, Coyotes 4
Coyotes head into the locker room with a two goal lead after forty minutes.
Third Period
17:08: A mishap almost leads to a Coyote goal, but Dell denies them.
15:07: Penalty. Barclay Goodrow heads to the box for slashing.
14:58: Penalty. Fischer heads to the box, also for slashing, and we will have 4-on-4 hockey.
13:06: 4-on-4 hockey is over and so is the Sharks’ short power play.
9:13: Burns and Karlsson on the ice together.
5:12: Penalty. Panik heads to the box for hooking.
4:52: POWER PLAY GOAL! Logan Couture beats Kuemper glove side and it’s a one-goal game!
3:24: Burns helps deny Fischer’s shot to keep the Sharks’ deficit at one.
2:13: Empty net for the Sharks.
2:13: Penalty. Timo Meier heads to the box for tripping.
2:13: Coyotes call a timeout.
2:06: Dell leaves the net for the extra attacker.
1:58: Power Play Goal. Connor Garland forces a turnover and it leads to an Alex Galchenyuk empty-net goal.
:48: Empty Net Goal. Josh Archibald ices it and it’s 6-3 Coyotes.
FINAL: Sharks 3, Coyotes 6
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