The Sharks had been unable to capitalize on some third-period scoring alternatives Friday and as an alternative allowed a go-ahead aim to Sam Metal with 9:04 left in regulation time in what turned a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars at American Airways Heart to open a five-game street journey.
Metal put a shot on internet that Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov couldn’t fairly management. A second effort by Metal ended up going by Askarov’s legs, off the far put up, and in for a 2-1 Stars lead.
Mikko Rantanen added an insurance coverage aim on the 16:39 mark of the third interval for Dallas, simply earlier than Macklin Celebrini had a aim with 2:20 to go in regulation, which was taken away after the Stars efficiently challenged for offside.
Dallas added an empty-net aim by Miro Heiskanen with 2:19 left within the third, serving to at hand the Sharks (13-13-3) their fifth straight loss on the street.
Collin Graf scored the Sharks’ solely aim, as he netted his fourth of the season on the 8:23 mark of the second interval. San Jose additionally had possibilities to attain within the third, however didn’t capitalize on two energy performs within the closing 20 minutes. The Sharks went 0-for-4 with the person benefit.
Philipp Kurashev took a go from Mario Ferraro, entered the Stars zone, and despatched the puck again to defenseman Nick Leddy on the level. Leddy then despatched a puck towards the Dallas internet, which went off a Stars participant earlier than it got here to Graf, who fired it previous goalie Jake Oettinger to tie the sport.
Graf’s aim represented his eleventh level in 28 video games this season. He had 11 factors in 33 video games final season, his full 12 months as knowledgeable after he signed with the Sharks a free agent in April 2024, a 12 months after he helped Quinnipiac win the NCAA nationwide championship.
The Sharks had been whistled for 2 stick infractions within the first interval, and with Macklin Celebrini off for hooking, ahead Jason Robertson gave the Stars a 1-0 lead at 14:20.
After the Sharks misplaced a faceoff in their very own finish, the Stars moved the puck to the opposite facet of the ice earlier than Wyatt Johnston took a go from Mikko Rantanen and fired a shot from the slot that went off the crossbar. The puck then got here to Robertson, who had a wide-open internet behind Askarov and scored his 18th of the season.
The Sharks had been hoping to bounce again from their most lopsided lack of the season, a 7-1 thrashing by the hands of Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
Though the Sharks hoped to not be in that place within the first place, they’d carried out a superb job in latest weeks of bouncing again after a loss. After their most up-to-date eight defeats earlier than Wednesday, they bounced again with a win seven occasions.
That was going to be robust to do towards a Stars crew that had gone 7-1-2 in its final 10 video games earlier than Friday, averaging near 4 objectives per sport alongside the way in which. Oettinger, this season, was 12-4-2 with a .906 save share in 18 video games earlier than Friday.
On Wednesday, although, the Stars introduced that middle Tyler Seguin would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Seguin had 17 factors in 27 video games for the Stars this season.
