At this level, it’s nearly not a matter of whether or not the San Jose Sharks will lose a third-period lead. It’s a matter of when — and the way heartbreaking the ultimate outcome will probably be.
It occurred once more Thursday night time, as one other winnable sport for the Sharks became one other irritating defeat.
After giving up a game-tying aim early within the third interval, the Sharks noticed Cole Caufield carry the puck into the Sharks’ zone, dangle round a tired-looking Macklin Celebrini and raise a shot excessive over the shoulder of Alexandar Georgiev on the 3:21 mark of time beyond regulation to offer the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 win on the Bell Centre.
The outcome comes three days after the Sharks took a one-goal lead into the third interval towards the Winnipeg Jets solely to permit a aim with 26 seconds left in regulation time, and the winner 1:33 into the additional session.
This season, the Sharks not solely have a 4-9 report in time beyond regulation, however have been outscored 77-50 within the third interval. They’re additionally 9-7-3 in video games through which they’ve taken a lead into the third interval, equating to a league-worst .579 successful proportion.
“We’ve just got to keep putting ourselves in this situation,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky stated of attempting to resolve the late sport points. “We’re in games. We’re competing. We’ve done some really good things, and did some really good things tonight, and we had chances to win the hockey game. But we’ve got to keep being in these situations.”
Will Smith gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead on the 17:21 mark of the second interval.
After a pleasant play by Collin Graf within the defensive finish, defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin bought the puck forward to Smith, who carried into the Canadiens’ zone and beat goalie Sam Montembeault to the glove facet for his ninth aim of the season.
However the Canadiens tied the sport 2:22 into the third interval. After a Sharks turnover within the nook to the online, Patrik Laine took over the puck and located an open Alex Newhook, who bought a step on Collin Graf and beat a helpless Alexandar Georgiev for his eleventh aim of the season.
Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun was injured on the shift, left the sport and didn’t return. Warsofsky didn’t have an replace on Thrun after the sport. Nonetheless, the Sharks had been in a position to kill minor penalties to Graf and Mukhamadullin within the third interval to no less than assist get the sport into time beyond regulation.
By the 12:38 mark of the primary interval, the Sharks had a 2-1 lead on targets by Zetterlund and Nico Sturm.
Zetterlund’s aim, his second within the Sharks’ final 9 video games, got here after Smith retrieved the puck under the Canadiens’ aim line and skated towards the again of the online earlier than passing it out entrance. There, Zetterlund tucked it contained in the close to publish previous Canadiens’ goalie Sam Montembeault on a second effort for his sixteenth aim of the season.
After Suzuki scored his first aim of the sport, just a few seconds after a San Jose turnover, the Sharks regained the lead on a rush by the fourth line.
Graf danced previous Canadiens ahead on the offensive blue Owen Beck, skated to the facet of the Montreal web, and slid the puck to the crease space. Klim Kostin fanned on a shot try, however Sturm was there to knock the puck previous Montembeault on the 12:38 mark of the primary interval.
For Sturm, a pending unrestricted free agent, the aim was his sixth of the season, eclipsing his whole from final yr. Sturm is now in his seventh NHL season, however Thursday’s sport was his first as knowledgeable on the Bell Centre.
Suzuki bought his second aim with 56 seconds left within the first interval, taking a cross-ice go from Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson earlier than beating an out of place Alexandar Georgiev to tie the sport 2-2.
The help was Hutson’s fortieth of the season. Hutson now has 44 factors, most amongst all NHL rookies, and two extra factors than Celebrini, his Boston College teammate from final season.
“Lane has had so much success this season,” Celebrini advised reporters in Montreal on Wednesday. “He’s incredible, but I’m not surprised. I saw up close last season in college. You don’t really understand the kind of player he is until you play against him.”
Celebrini got here into Thursday because the Sharks’ main scorer over the earlier two months. Since Dec. 28, Celebrini had 16 factors in 21 video games, a complete that was one level again of the 21-year-old Hutson, and the identical as Detroit Crimson Wings ahead Marco Kasper amongst NHL rookies.
“I feel a little more comfortable, but I still have things to learn,” Celebrini stated when requested about adjusting to the NHL. “The decision-making, reading the game, I have to work on little details like that, that people may not see. It’s hard to prepare to play against the best in the world every night.”
Initially Revealed: February 27, 2025 at 6:52 PM PST
