Sharks Blow Another 3rd Period Lead, Lose Dickinson’s Debut 7-6 to Ducks in OT

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Anaheim Ducks into SAP Center.

It’s Sam Dickinson’s NHL debut! Tyler Toffoli and Ryan Reaves and Mario Ferraro and John Klingberg and Adam Gaudette and Jeff Skinner scored, but the Sharks lost 7-6 in OT.

Period 1

1 in: Good step up by Ferraro to prevent exit pass. Finds Eklund, who ankle turns Zellweger into oblivion, wow. Not much comes of it, but truly remarkable move.

Toffoli goal: What can Will Smith do for you? Will plays a different game than Celebrini, one is go-go-go, one is slow-slow-slow (in a good way). Smith slows the Celebrini pass down, places it on a tee for Toffoli to skate into and one-time in. That shift was poetry in motion, starting with Celebrini drawing a penalty trying to split the defense.

8 in: Leddy, puck bounces to him in front, Gauthier right on top of him, he can’t skate away, but he finds a soft spot to put puck into corner for Klingberg to get it. That’s veteran.

9 in: Nice stretch by Liljegren to Eklund. Beautiful. Like how Eklund insists on the shot there too, even if it misses. Nothing fancy. FWIW, Liljegren did make a mistake on the Dorofeyev PP goal last game, but otherwise, 5-on-5, I thought decent two-way game. Better than Mukhamadullin.

10 in: Oooh Dickinson almost got caught chasing Duck in corner, vacating net front.

Reaves goal: Was just thinking, I like this line defensively, physically, and positionally, but they got to contribute some offense to be viable. Goodrow huge part of this, sending Poehling into boards and springing Reaves, who just drives net. Soft D.

Gauthier goal: Askarov can’t let that in, that’s a momentum-killer, San Jose Sharks were riding so high. I don’t think Klingberg touched the shot. Warsofsky talked about Sharks needing a “knockout punch” this morning, when they have momentum. This was not it.

7 left: Soft drop pass by Kurashev to Celebrini on entry, sniffed out, turnover, Sharks penalty. Orlov trips Granlund, but Granlund may have sold it? Regardless, Orlov was put in a bad position, Kurashev has to be better, that’s gotta be a 100 percent play. That kind of hockey is going to take him out of the line-up. Unforced error.

Sennecke goal: And that Kurashev mistake leads to this, bang-bang rebound in front, Klingberg can’t contain Sennecke, open net.

Whoa! True heavyweight fight, Reaves 10-9 over Johnston. Not sure what set it off. But a treat if you’re a fan of fighting, once again, a true heavyweight bout.

5 left: Smith shakes F1 Killorn on exit, want to see more of that from him.

Klingberg penalty: Klingberg doesn’t like it, saying he was held. Remenda says Klingberg right.

4 left: Graf forces a turnover on kill. He and Dellandrea have looked good so far this season, first over the boards on PK.

3 left: Small vet play, Wennberg has puck on kill, about to clear but realizes he has a beat, takes it, no panic, then down the ice.

2 left: Kurashev rallies with a strong shift, takes it from Trouba along wall, then after Celebrini wins puck behind Mrazek, hits Smith for a Grade-A in the slot.

By my quick count, after Gauthier goal, Ducks outshot Sharks 10-1, only shot was the Smith bid. That’s momentum for you.

Dickinson looks physically more than capable in this league, decision-making will be work in progress.

Period 2

4 in: Good decision by Graf on PK, tired after long kill, has a chance to push offense, he skates up, doesn’t do any soft drop passes or anything like that, just drives a shot.

Ferraro goal: Started by a terrific Liljegren pinch, took advantage of the rookie Sennecke along wall, just took the puck from him.

Killorn goal: Was that a line change thing? Someone lost Killorn on breakaway. Remenda says Quenneville teams aggressive blowing zone, so someone messed up the pre-scout, I guess.

6 in: Don’t like that from Skinner, hit coming, puck along DZ wall, just gives it up in middle. He’s the one who brought it into the middle, instead of a quick play off Orlov pass. I know easy for me to say up here, Skinner back was facing center ice, but optics are bad, just giving up the puck toward middle like that as hit coming.

7 in: Like Kurashev forecheck there, takes it from LaCombe. Feels like he’s had a step since his turnover led to second goal.

8 in: Huge Askarov saves on Sennecke, left all alone. Huge. Smith, I think, has to rotate over on Sennecke, Celebrini backchecking was right to chase the puck, it was a 2-on-2 for him and Klingberg.

Klingberg goal: Three assists for Celebrini! Career-high, first three-assist game of his career. Just beautifully-sorted 5-on-3.

Knockout punch time: Ducks’ unforced error, Poehling delay of game, put foot to throat. Not true knockout punch, of course, but seize that momentum.

6 left: Skinner tosses a nice cross-slot pass to Kurashev, shoot it! That’s a frustrating looking for a perfect play example when you’ve got a valid shot from a dangerous area, plus time and space.

Gaudette goal: Orlov skip high-to-low pass eludes Duck, that throws Anaheim into chaos, and Wennberg finds Gaudette walking down slot.

Kreider goal: Liljegren was too aggressive on his penalty.

Period 3

Gauthier reverse hit on Klingberg, that’s a big boy, Klingberg rocked. San Jose Sharks and Askarov just hanging on this shift. Credit to Askarov, after first goal, he’s battled. Ducks have overall been better team.

3 in: Sloppy Kurashev-Celebrini exchanges in DZ and NZ there. Both need to play firmer, more direct, one-goal hockey there, instead of hope passes.

4 in: Toffoli stretches it to Wennberg, who kicks it up to his stick beautifully. That’s a remarkable play. Then Wennberg rims it down to Eklund, who one-touches it up to Toffoli, huge save. Eklund is so due.

Skinner goal: Orlov just shovels it from point into chaos, and Skinner comes up with it, fires. Let’s see if Sharks can now play winning third period hockey.

8 in: Skinner forecheck turns over Ducks, Graf almost finds him for the dagger.

Good work by Dickinson, who one-on-one with Killorn, pushes him out of zone.

Gauthier goal: Klingberg can’t contain the stick, he’s got to. Point shot, deflection.

8 left: Fourth line actually has a phenomenal NZ forecheck there…but can’t create offense, and eventually, Gauthier and Ducks able to camp in OZ a little. Not just on the line, of course, the D can’t win the puck when Ducks get it deep. Anyway, big DZ faceoff coming, TV break, Wennberg comes out.

7 left: Good shift by Wennberg line, get it out, forecheck, Eklund buzzing, Orlov point shot, OZ faceoff.

Celebrini springs Smith and Kurashev on 2-on-1, Ducks overcommitted defensively in NZ. Big Mrazek save on Smith.

Kreider goal: Here we go again…Ducks were just coming. Anaheim just too big and skilled up front for this Sharks team tonight. They’ve hung Askarov out to dry for a lot of game.

OT

Celebrini-Eklund-Liljegren to start.

Carlsson goal: Another Celebrini OT turnover leads to loss.