Sharks Outplay Pens, But Still Winless After Getting Shut Out 3-0

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins into SAP Center.

It was a good effort from the Sharks, but they were shut out 3-0.

Period 1

3 in: Eklund pounces on a bad Pens OZ pass, skates up himself, fires, follows up his rebound.

4 in: Think it’s Leddy who loses Malkin behind him, too easy for Malkin to be open, bailed out by Nedeljkovic poke check.

8 in: Long Pens shift, ended by Desharnais pokechecking Crosby.

9 in: That Kurashev DZ exit up middle, blocked, that’s exactly what the Sharks can’t do. That’s almost a turnover in a very vulnerable space in the middle of the ice.

10 left: Have to go back to that Ferraro to Smith exit along the wall, doesn’t get out, Pens spend the next minute in the zone. Nedeljkovic comes up huge, 13-5 Pens shots.

9 left: Dickinson rifles a bullet.

5 left: Tough exit pass up the middle by Ferraro.

Celebrini turns over Malkin on forecheck, finds Skinner in the slot.

2 left: What a pass by Smith. After his own shot, chases loose puck, scans, gets the puck, and fires a brilliant pass to Kurashev in high opposite flank. Basically turned around and fired a strike to Kurashev who pounded a one-timer.

Compete and offensive execution better in this period, but the San Jose Sharks still have a lot to work on breaking it out. Gotta kill some plays. You can’t make a habit of giving up 18 sh0ts a period.

Period 2

2 in: Not a great line change, fourth line to third, leads to basically a Pens’ 4-on-2, which Nedeljkovic stops. The other way, Misa and Kurashev have a 2-on-1, Misa fires, Jarry save. Pond hockey by two less-than-structured teams so far tonight.

Crosby goal: What a deflection. Looks like nothing happening, but Letang tosses it on net, Crosby’s stick gets free.

Credit to San Jose Sharks, they didn’t fall apart after Crosby goal, they’re still coming.

8 in: Nifty move and exit by Dickinson around F1 Malkin. Made a Hall of Famer look bad. Then he beats Mantha and gives it to Celebrini.

9 in: Karlsson NZ pass turnover…and Sharks pounce. My, my, how turned the tables.

6 left: Misa on the backcheck, turns Novak over. Smith has a shot and a lane, but he tries to force a pass to Misa.

2 left: That…was not a good decision by Nedeljkovic to come out, got lucky there.

Gotta give the Sharks credit, that was a determined second period. Of course, the score doesn’t reflect it. But that’s the best period that I’ve think the Sharks have played since opening night. More of that, the wins will come.

Period 3

2 in: Eklund breakaway, Sharks still pushing.

6 in: Celebrini tries to pass through a Pen, but gets it back. I think the Sharks have been a little fortunate there, not just Celebrini, there’s some forcing of plays that isn’t biting them in the ass. But otherwise, they’re playing encouraging hockey, they’re on top of pucks on forecheck, breaking out pucks with more fluency.

Mantha goal: But the Penguins are burying their chances. Brazeau gets Celebrini going the wrong way, it becomes a 2-on-1. Leddy on an island, there’s no help on Mantha.

9 left: These are 60 minutes to be proud of for the Sharks, especially after a sloppy 1st.

8 left: Refs have let A LOT go today, but good to know that No. 71 (for the San Jose Sharks) can draw a call.

Leddy penalty: Looks like the refs remembered that they had whistles.

3 left: Orlov still hits like a train, he trucks Acciari.

Smith cranks it, but Jarry was waiting.

2 left: Celebrini just blew up Dewar to prevent the ENG.