SAN JOSE — The San Jose Sharks mentioned defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin was nonetheless being evaluated Wednesday, a day after he sustained an upper-body damage early within the third interval of the group’s recreation towards the Anaheim Geese.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky didn’t provide any particulars on Mukhamadullin and didn’t say whether or not the rookie defenseman must miss Thursday’s recreation towards the Edmonton Oilers at SAP Middle.
“We’re not sure yet,” if Mukhamadullin must miss Thursday’s recreation, Warsofsky mentioned. “He’s still seeing our doctors.”
After he hit Geese Troy Terry within the impartial zone, a play that knocked down the Geese ahead, Mukhamadullin was grabbed by Anaheim winger Frank Vatrano, who dropped his stick and threw his gloves down, grabbed the Sharks blueliner and dragged him to the ice.
Mukhamadullin, not anticipating Vatrano to come back after him, tried to brace his fall by placing his left arm down earlier than the Geese ahead moved over high of him. Mukhamadullin landed awkwardly, and Vatrano skated away as Mukhamadullin sat up and winced in ache as he reached for his higher physique. Mukhamadullin was then assisted to the Sharks’ dressing room by a group coach.
Mukhamadullin, who didn’t return to the sport, acquired a cross-checking penalty, and Vatrano acquired a minor for roughing.
Warsofsky mentioned the collision between Mukhamadullin and Terry didn’t warrant that form of response from Vatrano.
“I thought (Mukhamadullin) kind of ran into (Terry). It’s probably a marginal call at best,” Warsofsky mentioned.
The Sharks, in flip, didn’t instantly pursue Vatrano, one thing that Warsofsky would have appreciated to see from his group, wanting again.
“We don’t like what Vatrano does, probably wish we would have handled it a little bit differently,” he mentioned. “But it’s something that, as a young group, we’re learning.”
A extra bodily response, maybe?
“You look back and you probably say yes,” Warsofsky mentioned. “But in the moment, we’re down a goal or two goals, we’re trying to come back and win the hockey game. We have some young players that are just trying to find their way in this league, and that takes a lot of feel.
“I think early in the year, we’ve done a really good job of sticking up for teammates. Our team has changed quite heavily here, and we have to develop that again and start to have a feel for that and learn that process that takes place. And we will, the young players will, and I think we’ll learn from that and go forward,”
The Sharks trailed by two objectives on the time of the damage, however responded to the play, as Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Alexander Wennberg scored objectives later within the third interval to tie the sport. Ahead Mason McTavish, although, scored the one aim within the shootout because the Geese handed the Sharks a 4-3 loss.
Mukhamadullin had one in all his greatest video games of the season earlier than the damage.
His first-period aim got here on a one-timer after he took a cross from Mario Ferraro and let go a slap shot that received previous Geese goalie Lukas Dostal. Mukhamadullin additionally had a career-high 4 pictures on internet within the first two intervals, when he had 13:41 in ice time.
Mukhamadullin, 23, had been taking part in a much bigger position with the Sharks not too long ago, as Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky moved him to the highest pair with Ferraro after Jake Walman was traded to the Oilers on March 5.
Within the 10 video games instantly after the commerce, Mukhamadulin averaged over 22 minutes on the ice per recreation.
“He’s been playing 25, 26 minutes a night, so hopefully he’s not going to miss any time,” Sharks winger Tyler Toffoli mentioned of Mukhamadullin. “But if he does, it’s another opportunity for another young guy to come in and find a role and make himself a full-time NHLer.”
The Sharks have not too long ago skilled a rash of accidents to their protection corps.
Henry Thrun (higher physique) has missed 13 of the final 14 video games, and Vincent Desharnais (higher physique) has missed three straight video games. Jimmy Schuldt didn’t make the journey with the Sharks to Southern California after being damage within the third interval of San Jose’s 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Jan Rutta (decrease physique) has not performed since January. He, Thrun and Desharnais are all skating, however it’s unclear when any of them may be capable of return. Thrun is the closest, Warsofsky mentioned, however he’ll be a game-time choice to play towards the Oilers.
“We’re obviously under the injury bug at the wrong time, and we’re banged up,” Warsofsky mentioned, “but again, it’s another opportunity for someone to play some more minutes. Muck has been playing pretty good hockey.”
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