BOSTON — The San Jose Sharks take on the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.
Michael Misa and Kiefer Sherwood and Dmitry Orlov and Will Smith scored, but the Sharks lost 6-4 to the Bruins.
Period 1
1 in: Misa with a bunch of speed through NZ, cuts toward middle, gives it to Sherwood, not much happens. I wonder if that was a good route he took? Had so much speed, go wide in NZ, then come back? Easy for me to judge up here, of course.
Mittelstadt goal: Just awful. Graf had saved a goal, puck was behind Nedeljkovic, but still, the Bruins poured it on. Kesselring had initial chance to clear off dump-in and then Celebrini had a chance, but Sharks just scrambling there.
5 in: Celebrini crossbar and Stenberg right there for the follow-up. Huge Swayman save. Bruins had all the momentum but they gave the Sharks a power play, which is sixth in the league right now, by the way.
Misa goal: Great work there by Misa! He kept the puck alive along the wall, under duress, getting it back to Trouba. Toffoli shot it from the wall, Gaudette deflection just misses, but Misa able to put the rebound in. Well-earned! Sharks benefited too earlier from a Boston clear that went off the back of another Bruin, staying in OZ. PP2 was looking one-and-done that shift.
7 in: Graf just shook E. Lindholm off in the corner. Impressive. Definitely stronger this year.
10 in: Outstanding Graf forecheck shift. Also found Smith in the slot for a chance. Earlier, Kesselring tried to skate it out but couldn’t. Bad place for a turnover, he’s struggled so far tonight.
9 left: There’s a place where Toffoli’s declining speed does hurt, and I think he knows it. Sharks defense trying to get it out, Boston’s forecheck has been withering tonight. Not sure which d-man, but the puck goes forward toward Toffoli, but he just misses it by a step. He was starting from a stop. Bruin hammers the puck, and luckily, Nedeljkovic sucks it up for a faceoff. Toffoli slams his stick going off the ice though. Both things can be true, you can still be a useful player, which Toffoli certainly still is, but dealing with some decline too. That’s aging.
1 left: Nice work by Khusnutdinov, one-on-one with high Celebrini, usually an area where Celebrini gets his shot off, but the young Russian denies him, sticks it out.
Very Barclay Goodrow, and I think a reason why coaching staffs like him. Trouba hits a stationary Goodrow with a pass in the NZ. Goodrow is not going to start from a stop there, he doesn’t have speed there and would be easily checked off the puck if he tried. The play there is a pass to speed coming from underneath, but there’s no Shark there, no speed around him. Goodrow doesn’t force an offensive play that could end up in a quick counterattack, he eases it back to Trouba, who plays out the clock. Yes, it would be great if Goodrow could go 0 to 60 like Celebrini and fire a cannon on entry, but Goodrow knows who he is, and that is indeed the right play. When coaches talk about knowing the clock, that’s an example of it.
Period 2
Khusnutdinov goal: Dellandrea line one-and-done one way, can’t keep the opposition line from getting on the cycle.
8 in: Dickinson great backtrack, just rips it from Hagens. Decisive defense. It was a 2-on-1 before Dickinson recovery.
9 in: Misa having a good game, insistent on forecheck, draws a Zadorov slash.
10 in: Then on the PP, Misa goes through Khusnutdinov to get the puck in corner, crowd doesn’t like it, but there you go, that’s using some speed and strength. Misa has been quietly very good in puck battles this year. Makes me think when he catches up with pace, he’s going to be a load. In traffic, he still has issues with quicker decision-making. But Marchment gets called for interference in the middle of it.
8 left: Not sure why Nedeljkovic chose to play that puck on PK? His guys seemed tired too.
Orlov penalty: And another penalty. San Jose Sharks playing with fire here. Gut check time.
Sherwood goal: Huge! Sherwood steals it as F1 on PK. E. Lindholm telegraphed pass, didn’t see Sherwood right on him. San Jose Sharks needed that shot in the arm so bad, while they’ve been able to keep the Bruins from the middle on the PK, you can’t play half a period down a man.
Kastelic 10-9 Kesselring, but gotta give Kesselring credit for fighting his own fight there. Got boarded by Kastelic, looked vicious, Kesselring gets up and handles it himself. On replay, while I do think Kastelic held up a little, it was still very forceful in a vulnerable spot. Looked like a board to me that he got away with, San Jose Sharks should be on a power play, but they’re not.
1 left: Couple shifts this period, Stenberg still negotiating pace at 5-on-5. Can see it. He’ll get it.
Period 3
Jeannot 10-9 Ostapchuk, but that was close.
Orlov goal: He’s got a clapper.
Pastrnak penalty: Great job by Smith, makes a move, draws a call. Celebrini hasn’t looked as sharp last two games.
Pastrnak goal: That fast. Dellandrea can’t receive a hard pass from maybe Sherwood high in OZ, it’s a turnover. Counterattack, and that’s one of the best shooters in the sport. Shot might have glanced off Nurse’s stick?
Hagens goal: Oh man, that hurts. That hurts. Off the draw. Becomes a Boston 2-on-1 down-low. Not sure why Graf slow to tie up Hagens there?
Allan penalty: Big kill here. Celebrini pleading San Jose Sharks’ case, not sure what for? It’s a high sticking that draws blood. Sharks need to get out of here with a point, that’s the challenge now.
Minten goal: But the Sharks can’t do it. Dickinson last man on Minten there. He also had a chance to clear that Lohrei kept it in. Peterka late man speed. Dickinson a little slow on Minten, as Remenda points out.
Smith goal: Marvelous by Celebrini. Just dances with it, won’t let H. Lindholm have it. Then Trouba hits Smith with a beaut pass and Smith finish. Great hockey all around. Sharks no quit, to their credit.
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