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Sharks Win! Snap Losing Streak With 3-2 Win
Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Sharks Win! Snap Losing Streak With 3-2 Win

Originally posted on San Jose Hockey Now  |  By Sheng Peng  |  Last updated 1/11/24

MONTREAL — The San Jose Sharks visit Bell Centre to take on the Montreal Canadiens.

Luke Kunin and Fabian Zetterlund and Nikita Okhotiuk scored, but Sharks pulled it out 3-2!

Period 1

Kunin goal: Struble could hear Bailey’s footsteps on forecheck, just throws it up the slot for Kunin. Kind of start that San Jose Sharks need after a little sluggish start before the goal. Really good dump-in by Rutta too, high off corner glass, doesn’t go out, buys Bailey time to be a threatening F1.

Whoa. Kunin’s first goal since Nov. 27.

6 in: Not a good turnover high by Granlund, though he gets revenge by stapling Suzuki to board. Then Struble gets revenge, checking Eklund on entry hard.

9 in: Eklund blocks a shot, maybe it was of the gourmet variety. Because his next pass, routine to open Duclair, goes right to Hab. He’s gotta focus up.

Then Monahan off to side gets lost. He had already pickpocketed Addison on exit. But then, between Addison or Labanc, they lose him, both watch point. I think Addison has Ylonen off to side, so Labanc should stick on Monahan? Also, watching replay, Labanc doesn’t run much interference on forechecking Monahan who jumps Addison.

8 left: Rutta does a good job staying in dot lane, on top of Caufield, deflects sniper’s shot out.

7 left: Eklund does nice job absorbing Evans’s hit on entry, dropping it to Granlund high. Eklund needs some good puck touches.

Not sure how Anderson gets behind everyone. It that just Okhotiuk falling asleep? San Jose Sharks just lucky he misses net on his bobblehead night.

6 left: Bailey might have saved a goal there, desperation backcheck on Pezzetta who was all alone in scramble. Started with Ferraro unable to corral puck behind Blackwood, then forecheck on top of him.

Zetterlund goal: Starts with nifty Ferraro escape on Slafkovsky forecheck. Then All-Star worthy pass to Zetterlund. Zadina first on FC, gets puck to Hertl, who had just forearm shivered Matheson after dumping it in.

Gallagher goal: But San Jose Sharks’ general malaise catches up there. Disappointing “priority” shift after goal. Thrun breakout turnover starts it. Then, not sure why Rutta doesn’t switch and take Gallagher when Hertl chases the puck carrier along wall. Both Rutta and Thrun end up on the net front Hab, Gallagher open. Just Defense 101.

1 left: Hell or high water, Eklund’s got to get that out.

Period 2

1 in: Good forecheck stick check by Zadina buys San Jose Sharks some good zone time. I’ve liked his start tonight.

3 in: There’s a nice puck touch for Eklund! Protects down the wall, hits Granlund in slot.

Then Labanc and Hoffman follow up with a good forecheck effort, Labanc stuff.

4 in: Nice read by Addison to jump up, and Zetterlund finds him down slot. Zadina then draws penalty. San Jose Sharks are actually, gasp, putting together shifts.

9 in: Hertl stickhandling clinic through NZ. Have loved watching this, this season.

Almost six minutes of action there without a whistle…and except for one time getting caught in cycle, Sharks actually really played well. Just a lot of good plays by the team there, worth re-watching if you want some hope. They backchecked hard. They created offense. A couple plays that I remember, Thrun did a really nice job evading forecheck then getting puck up early in this stretch. Vlasic with a good defensive poke in NZ started counterattack. Eklund slowly gets back to bench, but to run interference on Anderson looking to get out on defensive point. Sharks just need a goal here…

Okhotiuk goal: And they got it! Outstanding work by Eklund to prevent Habs exit on forecheck. Goes hard to the net. He then picks Anderson to give Granlund a lane. Then Granlund and Okhotiuk switch high, Addison picks Gallagher, Habs get confused. What a pass by Granlund too, finds Okhotiuk.

3 left: Another good stick check by Zadina to short circuit Montreal attack.

2 left: Love to see it, Bailey going hard on one-on-one battle, gets high sticked, he’s OK, gets a power play. He’s been really good tonight.

Eklund penalty: But that’s a way to lose that momentum. Not on Eklund, he’s tracking back hard, not sure if Zetterlund didn’t see him coming down slot in OZ, or if Zetterlund slot pass got deflected.

1 left: Big save by Blackwood there on Habs stuff. Sharks really can’t give up a goal here on the 4-on-4.

Like how Granlund works to get on top of his check on tracking, after his OZ turnover.

Period 3

Not sure what happened there, Vlasic needed to get that out. He’s still a very smart player out there, don’t see him out of position much. He’s also still strong, he can win those in-tight battles. But as he loses that skating, he can’t fudge up what looks like those 100 percent plays.

3 in: Love that, Granlund goes in hard to corner to battle much bigger Savard, takes the body first, comes up with it, if only for a little. Eklund can learn so much from that guy.

4 in: Labanc just had a clever slip shot while showing that he was going around net, then energetic forecheck shift along the wall. He’s also been very good since a lethargic first. And it was this forecheck of his that caused this…

San Jose Sharks have outshot Habs 25-11 since the first.

7 in: In comparison to earlier Gallagher goal, Vlasic is positioned on Harvey-Pinard slot attempt.

8 in: Anderson goes for the extra shot after big Blackwood glove, Rutta pounces on him. Can’t complain about that, both go off. Good on Rutta.

Then Granlund does a great job drawing that interference on Ylonen. He may have sold it, but crafty.

4-on-3 power plat, Sharks need to at least keep up the momentum, don’t get tentative, move the puck quick and pound shots.

Huge save by Blackwood on Suzuki after Eklund slipped, huge. This is not the momentum PP that I was talking about lol.

9 left: 17:47 now, most Vlasic has played since October, and I think that he’s played well.

7 left: Labanc defends hard on Harris, love to see it.

6 left: Then Duclair follows with a strong backcheck.

Matheson goal: Time for the Sharks to nut it up. Point shot, Anderson screen, finds home.

Next shift is a good one from third line, Bailey protects puck, Kunin net front almost has Grade-A.

2 left: Ferraro just burying Caufield on this shift. Love to see it!

1 left: Then watch Ferraro just hammer Suzuki. This is why teams like him.

This article first appeared on San Jose Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.

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