SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 22: San Jose Sharks’ Tomas Hertl (48) and San Jose Sharks’ Alexander Barabanov (94) drive for a objective towards Tampa Bay Lightning’s Fredrik Claesson (3) and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Brian Elliott (1) within the third interval on the SAP Middle in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN JOSE – Robbie Gould’s game-winning 45-yard discipline objective sailed via the uprights at Lambeau Discipline simply moments earlier than Sharks defenseman Jaycob Megna’s shot from the purpose discovered its well beyond Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Brian Elliott.
When the ultimate rating of the 49ers’ playoff recreation with the Inexperienced Bay Packers was proven on the SAP Middle’s JumboTron, a 13-10 San Francisco win due to Gould’s heroics, the cheers from the introduced crowd of 14,193 have been virtually as loud as these for Megna’s objective, or the rest the Sharks did Saturday night time.
The Sharks had their worst first interval at residence this season, permitting 4 targets within the opening 12:32 in what was an embarrassing 7-1 residence loss to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning.
“It was a type of nights the place we have been outcompeted and it was males amongst boys,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner stated. “It’s so simple as that.
“A few our veterans have been OK, however not sufficient of them, and I assumed the younger guys struggled. It was very obvious, with out mentioning names, that a whole lot of guys actually struggled on the market and didn’t appear to be they have been prepared.”
The Sharks allowed targets to Ross Colton, Steven Stamkos, Mathieu Joseph, and Corey Perry within the first interval earlier than Boughner mercifully pulled goalie James Reimer for what was his shortest outing of the season.
Megna scored on the 16:40 mark of the primary opening interval to chop the Lightning’s result in three, giving the Sharks a little bit of life going into the primary intermission.
However Brayden Level scored off an help from Nikita Kucherov on Sharks backup goalie Adin Hill on the 6:24 mark of the second interval for a 5-1 Lightning lead, all however ending any hopes of a miraculous San Jose comeback.
Alex Killorn and Colton scored 33 seconds aside within the third interval because the Sharks have been handed their most lopsided loss since they have been smoked 6-0 by the Vegas Golden Knights final Might of their ultimate recreation of the 2020-2021 season.
“That staff exposes you once you don’t compete,” Sharks winger Andrew Cogliano stated of the Lightning.
“Clearly, we thought we have been near their degree, and it proves that we’re not even shut. On the finish of the day, what you could be taught is that (recreation) needs to be an enormous wake-up name for our staff that’s performed laborious and battled via issues all season.”
The Sharks (21-19-2) had a Timo Meier objective referred to as again with 8:37 left within the second interval after replay decided that he used a definite kicking movement to place the puck into the web after a wild scramble within the Lightning crease.
It wouldn’t have mattered a lot anyway, as a Sharks staff that misplaced 3-2 to the growth Seattle Kraken on Thursday was merely outclassed by the Lightning, a staff now tied atop the NHL standings with a 29-8-3 report.
“You'll be able to’t have any success for those who can’t match the compete,” Boughner stated. “That’s probably the most discouraging factor for me. We will all the time type out the X’s and O’s and the errors. However once you’re not able to play laborious, and do the alternative, and play gentle, that’s the problem.”
Two issues have been working towards the Sharks on Saturday. They have been with out Erik Karlsson and the Lightning was coming off a 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Geese on Friday.
Karlsson missed Saturday’s recreation with an upper-body damage that may hold him out of the beginning of subsequent week’s street journey towards among the Japanese Convention’s finest groups.
Boughner stated Karlsson has been coping with the damage “for some time, and it’s simply not getting any higher.”
Boughner stated for now, Karlsson is taken into account day-to-day however added that the Sharks will quickly get a clearer concept of how a lot time the two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman may need to overlook.
The Sharks’ subsequent recreation is Wednesday towards the Washington Capitals. Karlsson has 26 factors in 33 video games this season, already surpassing final season’s 22-point complete, and is third amongst all Sharks skaters with a mean of simply over 23 minutes of ice time per recreation.
Karlsson performed 23:36 within the Sharks’ 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, as he had three pictures on web and a minus-2 ranking. He and protection accomplice Jaycob Megna have been on the ice for all three even-strength targets towards.
“You possibly can most likely inform final recreation that he wasn’t 100%,” Boughner stated. “He tried to muscle via it and he simply can’t go at this time.”
Radim Simek drew again into the Sharks’ lineup however he had a minus-3 ranking, however he was hardly alone in his struggles. Ryan Merkley had his first profession NHL help on Megna’s objective however was on the ice for 3 even-strength targets towards.