The San Jose Sharks allowed goals 38 seconds apart in the second period after a pair of defensive miscues in what became a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena.
With the game tied 1-1, a turnover by defenseman Nick Leddy in the Sharks’ zone at the end of a long shift later turned into a goal by Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson at the 16:05 mark of the second.
On the next shift, Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin made an ill-advised pinch inside the Kraken blue line, setting up a 2-on-1 the other way. In the Sharks’ zone, center Chandler Stephenson passed it over winger Eeli Tolvanen for a one-timer that goalie Alex Nedeljkovic had no chance to save.
The Sharks were unable to mount a response, and Kraken forward Jaden Schwartz added an empty net goal with 3:29 left to play, as San Jose closed out a three-game road trip with a 1-2-0 record.
“We did a lot of good things tonight,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We make a couple of mistakes there in the second period, and they end up in the back of our net.”
Alexander Wennberg’s first-period power-play goal tied the game 1-1, but the Sharks were just 1-for-6 with the man advantage, including three power plays in the third period, with six shots on net.
The Sharks are now 12-for-64 on the power play this season, an 18.8% success rate that, as of Sunday, ranked 19th in the NHL. In 10 home games, the Sharks are just 3-for-33 (9.1%) with the man advantage.
“We’re getting chances,” Sharks forward Will Smith said. “We’ve just got to execute.”
After Wennberg’s goal, the Sharks thought they had taken a 2-1 lead at the 9:31 mark of the second period.
Smith came in alone on a breakaway and put a backhand-to-forehand move on Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer, who made a toe save. Smith’s left skate, though, directed the puck forward and across the goal line.
The play was ruled no goal on the ice, and in a potential turning point, officials determined, after a review, that Smith used his skate to propel the puck into the Seattle net.
“I was just trying to stop,” Smith said.
“It’s a tough one,” said Warsofsky, who was likely being diplomatic. “I think if you asked 100 people, 50 would say it was a kick, and 50 would say it was a goal. I thought it was a goal, but that’s what the league decided.”
Nedeljkovic made 20 saves in his first start since Nov. 7. Grubauer, who entered the game late in the first period, replacing an injured Matt Murray, was outstanding with 19 saves in relief.
The Sharks were seeking a response after a 2-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, in which they were thoroughly outplayed and shut out for the second time this season.
After giving up an early goal to the Kraken, the Sharks got a power-play goal from Wennberg with 18 seconds left in the first period.
Celebrini drew a hooking penalty on Ryan Lindgren at the 19:10 mark of the first period to give the Sharks their first power play. Then, with the puck in the Kraken zone, Celebrini took a pass from William Eklund, then sent the puck to Wennberg, who was stationed in front of the crease and redirected it past goalie Matt Murray for his fifth goal of the season.
“It’s a great play,” Wennberg said. “It starts with (William Eklund) selling the shot to open up for (Macklin Celebrini), and then after that, he just tees it up for me. So, it’s two really good players just making it easy for me, for sure.”
Murray had to leave the game after the goal with a lower-body injury. He did not return as Grubauer replaced him.
After going 2-for-26 with the man advantage over the previous nine games, the Sharks made some adjustments to their power play for Saturday’s game, moving Wennberg to the top unit and sliding Tyler Toffoli to the second unit.
Toffoli, who had just one even-strength point in his last four games, was also moved off the top line with Celebrini and Smith to the third line with Adam Gaudette and Ty Dellandrea.
The Kraken opened the scoring at the 8:14 mark of the first period. Stephenson took a pass from Jamie Oleksiak to start a rush, skated around Sharks defenseman John Klingberg, and fed Jaden Schwartz, who directed the puck past Nedeljkovic for his sixth goal of the season.
