The San Jose Sharks welcome the Vancouver Canucks into SAP Center.

Igor Chernyshov (twice) and Tyler Toffoli scored, but the Sharks lost 4-3 in the shootout.

Period 1

San Jose Sharks off to a high-flying start, lots of chances. It is just the Canucks. They really needed the Oilers to beat the Kinfgs though, that’s a devastating turn of events for the Sharks’ already faint playoff hopes. Feels like Celebrini could already have two goals.

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7 in: Askarov’s pad loosens in game action, comes off. Never seen that.

Eklund aggressive with his shot so far, any angle, I like it.

Chernyshov goal: Off the OZ draw, Celebrini moves it ahead, Chernyshov pounces, and backhands it past Lankinen. Great hands. Set play?

2 left: Misa flashes his speed, beats his check to the front, then Graf follows up, big Lankinen save. Sharks’ 12-10 shots, close, but San Jose’s chances higher-quality, for sure. Vancouver is no doubt a get-right team for the Sharks, reminiscent of the 2023-24 Sharks.

Chernyshov gets on Mancini for his hit on Celebrini.

Period 2

5 in: Misa is the middle slot, open, forces a pass to Chernyshov down low on the PP. Not a turnover, but yeah, shoot it. Maybe the Sharks need an Auston Matthews haha, a guy who will always crank it.

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Rossi goal: Askarov misjudges a dump-in, that can’t happen. In something else that I’ve never seen, open net for Rossi, Askarov just decides to dislodge the net himself. That seems like something that would’ve infuriated the Nashville Predators front office. What do San Jose Sharks players think of it? Looked like Askarov having fun, Fleury-like, if you will. Wennberg and Ferraro look like they give Askarov some stick taps on the way back to net. If being silly helps Askarov relax, hey, do it. Do some push-ups if it’ll help you stop shots. I think the Sharks will live with the trade-off.

Toffoli goal: Toffoli’s first since Mar. 15, an 11-game goal-less spell. Good job by Dickinson to skate it up, push back the defense, crash the net. There’s lot of potential to rinse and repeat this play in the coming years. Dickinson’s size and skating is reminiscent of a power forward, have him carry and enter, drop off the pass, and crash the net, profit.

DeBrusk goal: The Sharks had chances to clear on the PK. Just more shooting themselves in the foot. Not sure where the challenge is here? They lose it.

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Period 3

5 in: Chernyshov-Celebrini-Smith fun to watch tonight. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.

9 in: Good recovery by Chernyshov defensively after his own bobble. I like that about him.

Chernyshov goal: Dominating performance from this line, you love to see it. Before the goal, I liked the pace that Chernyshov played with, even when he misses a pass, like he did with a hard centering feed, it’s a bullet, so hard for the opposition to counterattack.

Blueger goal: San Jose Sharks kill a penalty challenge. This collapse has just been wild. Now 11 goals allowed in their last 17 kills. Maybe more than anything, more than playing the right way, lack of desperation, this is what has finished the Sharks’ season.

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This just hasn’t been a focused game by the Sharks. Skilled, but sloppy, against an awful team. Hopefully, they carry the sting from this game, and the last two losses, into the summer. Need better players, true, but youngsters will need to grow up too. Doesn’t take away, in the end, from a fantastic season of progress, but this was definitely not fighting until the end.

OT

Wennberg-Celebrini-Smith to start, that’s new.

Eklund penalty: That’s definitely a penalty on Eklund, but they missed a clear hold, Blueger on Smith, earlier.

San Jose Sharks with a big kill, finally, albeit a 17-second kill. Shootout time.

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SO

What was Askarov doing on that DeBrusk attempt?

Graf third in shootout, interesting.

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