This was not a game that a playoff team would lose.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s just my opinion about the Sharks\u2019 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at SAP Center. The obvious response? Well, this isn\u2019t a playoff team.<\/p>\n
So we can look at this defeat in the prism of this is a game that a future San Jose team might not blow.<\/p>\n
Of course, it\u2019s crazy to even be talking about the postseason with a Sharks squad that hasn\u2019t been over .500 this \u201clate\u201d in the season since 2021-22. It\u2019s the first time since that year that we\u2019re legitimately talking about real victories and not just moral victories.<\/p>\n
These weren\u2019t the only mistakes in a game where San Jose struggled after a strong opening frame. But each of the Senators\u2019 three goals were caused by unforced Sharks\u2019 errors.<\/p>\n
Philipp Kurashev took an unnecessary retaliatory penalty on Jake Sanderson, after a hard-but-clean Sanderson hit, leading to a Dylan Cozens power play goal.<\/p>\n
The top line of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Kurashev changed early twice, resulting in a Fabian Zetterlund strike and Tim Stutzle\u2019s game-winner.<\/p>\n