The San Jose Sharks welcome the Buffalo Sabres to SAP Center.

Alex Lyon shut out the Sharks, 5-0.

Period 1

I find the Toffoli on first line complaints odd. Toffoli’s gift has never been skating but his mind. He plays fast with precise puck movement, like he does there with a stationary neutral zone pass up the middle to Graf, who gets it into to Celebrini for easy entry. He hasn’t been as good this year as last, I understand that, but he still has excellent games.

Leddy shows there’s a little tread left on his tires, spin-o-rama move into offensive zone, then on puck pursuit, it’s close, but he stays ahead of Josh Doan and the Sharks able to help the puck out of the zone. I will add, not said much in the discourse around Leddy, but I would guess one of the reasons why he passed through waivers is his $4 million AAV. Not every team can stomach that, especially for a guy who’s more No. 7 on a defensive depth chart than a No. 4. Not trying to tell you that he’s great, like I said, more No. 7, he’s certainly not who he was, but the idea that you can’t, under any circumstances, put him on the ice in an NHL game is a little preposterous.

FWIW Sharks are 7-7-0 with Leddy in line-up, if you don’t count the 0-4-2 start.

Ostapchuk tracks back hard on Malenstyn, always love to see that, helps outnumber Sabres on what otherwise would be a 2-on-2.

Dickinson coming out of his corner with puck, playing with a lot of confidence, makes a move and sends a Sabre into the dust.

4 in: Great pace so far, especially from the San Jose Sharks. Graf counterattack, hits Sherwood in slot for Grade-A.

6 in: No whistles yet. You can play this pace with the Sabres, fine, not the worst idea, fast is how Sharks want to play too, but this is also how they want to play. So Nedeljkovic will have to make some big saves. I did note though, putting Smith with Wennberg is possibly not using Wennberg as a match-up shutdown line tonight, so maybe that is Warsofsky’s intention tonight, just roll lines and skate against the Sabres. Gotta see afterwards if Wennberg hard-matched against any line.

6 left: Celebrini goes down, trying to beat two Sabres for a breakaway. Looks like a Samuelsson trip? But no whistle. FWIW Celebrini goes to bench, I don’t see clear upset with a no-call.

4 left: Orlov double clutches high at power play point man, I don’t know if he realizes Celebrini on the flank for the one-timer, just begging for it.

1 left: Really professional exit from Goodrow and Leddy. Stationary Goodrow on breakout, standard spot, but he feels the Sabres forecheck on him, waits a beat, instead of pass up the middle that’s deflected or turned over because he rushed it. After pause, right to open Leddy, who goes blueline to blueline, and ends with a chance.

Good period for the San Jose Sharks, pace, and they limited the Sabres’ chances. Feel like Buffalo will have a big push at some point though, can San Jose withstand?

Period 2

Regenda not happy with himself, two possible Sharks’ counterattacks die on his stick.

2 in: Subtle play by Graf, he’s circling back with puck in NZ, up here, I can see Celebrini open on wing, I wonder if Graf knows he’s there too. That’s a pretty no-look backhand pass right there. But I actually like Graf not trying a dangerous pass like that unless he’s 100 percent sure. These are how players show that they’ve grown up.

https://twitter.com/Sheng_Peng/status/2034829150192889996

6 in: Gaudette has taken Eklund’s spot on PP2. Dickinson too slow up high moving puck, McLeod right on him. Should’ve been fairly routine puck movement up high. Power play, there’s a little bit of learning how to play fast when you must, and slow it down when you must. He’ll learn.

7 in: Smith and Orlov had a clear-cut 2-on-1, Smith blasted it…off post. Oh man, what a shot.

8 in: Misa line follows with an interesting shift. They pressure Lyon lots, but they’re also slow on I’m not sure which Sabre in front, all alone for too long. Gotta re-watch, Eklund is low, and I think he sorts right, pressuring the passer and relying on his teammates to cover backdoor.

Ostlund goal: Tough luck. Sharks have outplayed Sabres this period, but on Buffalo rush, a missed shot rebounds hard off back boards, to open Ostlund.

Carrick goal: That’s a whistler top shelf, it looks like, but you probably want Nedeljkovic to have that one.

Dahlin goal: Adversity! Let’s see how Sharks bounce back. This time, Dahlin smokes Ferraro up the ice, that really shouldn’t happen. No support behind Ferraro, not just on him. Re-watching, it is off a bad line change, as I guessed. Misa has a man, but he should read the situation, I think, that’s adjusting to the speed of the league. Dahlin beats Ferraro, who’s just off the bench, up the middle. I don’t think that’s on Ferraro. Misa has to recognize breakdown and adjust from what he’d normally do. It’s easy to blame Ferraro here, but I don’t think it’s on him that he couldn’t catch Dahlin in a foot race off the bench. Also, as Remenda noted, Dickinson needs to be more aggressive finishing Zucker in corner. Bad bounce, bad goal, then just a complete defensive breakdown, three goals allowed in 1:43.

That’s what happens when you’re “not ready for this”. But, like I said, I’m curious the response. San Jose has genuinely outplayed Buffalo for the balance of the game. What do you do when your best-laid plans go awry?

2 left: Goodrow and Ostapchuk crashing net, can’t believe that didn’t go in. Goodrow slams stick at bench. Just keep playing this way.

https://twitter.com/Sheng_Peng/status/2034836853942300892

Frustrating night for Celebrini so far, four of five shot attempts blocked.

Period 3

Thompson goal: That’s going to do it for the San Jose Sharks tonight, I think. Also another that Ned will probably want back. That’s four-straight goals on four shots for Buffalo.

2:03 into third, Nedeljkovic with a save, finally, his last one was at 18:26 of the first period. Being a goalie can be such a lonely position, but he’ll be fine, long run. But no doubt, a rough game.

3 in: Not something to micro-focus on, but I only mention it if you’re a “Smith does no wrong” truther. Smith turning back with puck in DZ, obviously looking for a play up, but Doan knocks him off and takes it. Smith is covered by his team defense, so ultimately, no harm. But those are the small plays that Will must improve in the long run. That either has to be a positive or neutral puck play, not a flat-out turnover. Turnovers in that spot in the DZ kill you, lose you games.

10 in: Graf vs. Dahlin battle, enjoyed watching that. Crowd thought there was a penalty there, probably not. But I just like that crucible for Graf, that’s a battle vs. one of the best defensemen in the league.

Carrick goal: Gaudette just exasperated, harmless shot, looked like it went off Orlov and in. Just one of those nights.

Just the seventh time this season that the Sabres have been held under 20 shots (16 tonight), just the fourth time this season that Celebrini has been held pointless in consecutive games.