SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks could legitimately say that they deserved to win their first two games, as they held leads late in the third period against both the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks last week before they found a way to lose both in overtime.
The Sharks could not make that claim against the Carolina Hurricanes. Not even close.
After a scoreless first period, the Sharks were outclassed the rest of the way, as Carolina scored three times in the second period and two more in the third in a 5-1 win at SAP Center.
The Sharks were outshot 25-1 in the game’s final 29:18, and trailing 3-1 after 40 minutes, they failed to get a shot on goal in the third period. Their last shot, courtesy of Adam Gaudette, came with 1:29 left in the second.
The Sharks are now in their 34th season, and Tuesday’s game marked the fourth time they’ve been held without a shot in a period. The last time it happened was on Oct. 11, 2014, when they went without a shot in the third period in a home game against the Winnipeg Jets, but still won 3-0.
“I just didn’t think we had our juice. We didn’t have much energy. Didn’t compete hard enough,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said.
After Carolina defenseman Sean Walker scored at the 1:24 mark of the second period, Sharks winger William Eklund responded 3:14 later, beating goalie Brandon Bussi five-hole for his first goal of the season.
But that was it for the Sharks, who were outshot 43-17 by the Hurricanes, three nights after they allowed 44 shots in their 7-6 overtime loss to the Ducks. The 27-year-old Bussi won his first career NHL start after three-plus years in the minor leagues.
“We’re just not good enough in battles, in puck play. I’ve got to make way better plays out there,” Eklund said. “Our line has got to be way better than we were tonight. We got to create some offense, but also got to be good on defense as well.”
Michael Misa, 18, made his NHL debut Tuesday. With Misa, Macklin Celebrini, and Sam Dickinson, Tuesday’s game marked the first time San Jose has had three teenagers in the lineup since Jan. 15, 1998, when 18-year-old Patrick Marleau, Marco Sturm, and Andrei Zyuzin, both 19, played against the Colorado Avalanche.
Misa and Dickinson had a few challenging moments.
The Sharks’ next game is Friday in Salt Lake City against the Utah Mammoth.
Other observations from Tuesday
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Sharks were going to have a hard time beating the Hurricanes if their power play didn’t contribute, and they went 0-for-5.
San Jose had three power plays in the first period, and both Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli had terrific chances but were unable to beat Bussi. The Sharks also failed to capitalize on a second-period man advantage and managed just four shots in 7:23 of power-play time through two periods.
The Hurricanes had the NHL’s best penalty kill last season at 83.6% and were 4-for-5 in their first two games this season in wins over the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers.
The Sharks were 3-for-8 on the power play in their first two games this season.
NEDELJKOVIC’S NIGHT
Perhaps no one on the Sharks roster needed to have a good night more than goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, whose puck mishaps last Thursday led directly to the Sharks’ overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Nedeljkovic was good in the first period, stopping all 15 shots he faced. But the Hurricanes turned it up a notch and scored three times in the second, with the first at the 1:24 mark, as Nedeljkovic appeared to be screened on a shot by Sean Walker from inside the blue line.
San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) fights for the puck against Carolina Hurricanes’ William Carrier (28) and Carolina Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov (37) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) blocks a shot by Carolina Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin (21) in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. Carolina Hurricanes’ William Carrier (28) would score a goal shortly after this block. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) scores a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) fights for the puck against Carolina Hurricanes’ Nikolaj Ehlers (27) in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith (2) reaches for the puck in front of Carolina Hurricanes’ Brandon Bussi (32) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ Dmitry Orlov (9) takes a shot against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) makes a save against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ Adam Gaudette (81) fights for the puck against Carolina Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin (21) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) can’t get a shot past Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) tries to get a shot off against Carolina Hurricanes’ Brandon Bussi (32) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) and San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) head off the ice after their 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) heads off the ice after their 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
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San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) fights for the puck against Carolina Hurricanes’ William Carrier (28) and Carolina Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov (37) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
The Hurricanes’ second goal came after a 2-on-1, as defenseman Alexander Nikishin took a pass from Jordan Martinook and put a shot off the post. Sam Dickinson, who was caught a bit deep in the Hurricanes’ zone, helping to set up the odd-man rush, got back and tried to shovel the loose puck under Nedeljkovic, but William Carrier crashed the crease and poked the puck over the goal line at the 14:14 mark of the second period.
Nedeljkovic probably needed to have Carolina’s third goal. Eric Robinson got in alone after taking a pass from defenseman Mike Reilly and beat Nedeljkovic five-hole with a backhand shot with 1:21 left in the second period.
Carolina made it 4-1 on another odd-man rush, with Shayne Gostisbehere, who had beaten Michael Misa down the ice, finishing a nice passing sequence involving Logan Stankhoven and Taylor Hall.
Originally Published: October 14, 2025 at 9:37 PM PDT