Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen had his debut in a Sharks uniform spoiled on Thursday as Leon Draisaitl scored twice and Kailer Yamamoto, Derick Brassard, and Evander Kane every added one to provide the host Edmonton Oilers a 5-2 win at Rogers Place.
Brassard’s objective proved to be the winner as he flung a puck towards the web, in search of ahead Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, however it as an alternative went off Erik Karlsson’s skate and previous Kahkonen for a 3-1 Oilers lead on the 6:49 mark of the third interval.
The targets by Yamamoto within the second interval and Draisaitl within the third – his second of the sport – each got here on the ability play because the Sharks have now allowed 4 targets on the penalty kill within the final three video games.
Tomas Hertl had a objective and an help and Karlsson scored because the Sharks cut up their two-game highway journey via Alberta after they beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 on Tuesday.
Kahkonen completed with 37 saves.
“Not the end result we needed, clearly,” Kahkonen mentioned. “Good will not be ok on this league. I want I may have made one or two extra saves right here, preserve it a bit nearer. However general I felt superb. The fellows have been nice.”
The sport was marred by an harm to Sharks captain Logan Couture, who was struck within the higher physique by a puck shot from the purpose by defenseman Brent Burns.
Couture was standing close to the crease subsequent to Oilers goalie Mike Smith when he was hit by a Burns shot from simply contained in the blue line on the 9:47 mark of the second interval. Couture went down on the ice for a couple of moments earlier than he skated off below his personal energy and walked to the Sharks’ dressing room.
Couture, the Sharks’ third-leading scorer with 47 factors in 60 video games, can be re-evaluated after the staff returns to San Jose. For now, he's thought-about day-to-day, coach Bob Boughner mentioned.
Couture, the Sharks’ high defensive centerman, was largely matched up towards Oilers celebrity Connor McDavid for the primary half of Thursday’s recreation. After Couture left, these duties have been cut up amongst remaining Sharks facilities Hertl, Nick Bonino, and Scott Reedy.
The Sharks trailed 2-1 after two intervals Thursday.
Kahkonen, together with a fifth-round draft alternative this yr, was acquired on Monday from the Minnesota Wild for defenseman Jake Middleton.
“I believed he battled arduous,” Boughner mentioned. “Clearly a fairly excessive octane offense over there and he noticed some heavy probabilities early on. I believed he had a great first interval and our penalty kill let him down, to be sincere with you.”
Kahkonen entered Thursday with a 12-8-3 report and a .910 save proportion however had struggled of late with a 0-5-1 report and a .873 save proportion in his final six video games. His final win got here on Feb. 20 in Edmonton, stopping 30 of 33 photographs in a 7-3 Wild victory.
Kahkonen was James Reimer’s backup within the Sharks’ win over the Flames on Thursday. Sharks coach Bob Boughner was tempted to return to Reimer after he made 28 saves, together with a number of of the spectacular selection, however caught along with his unique plan to begin Kahkonen.
The Sharks entered Thursday 9 factors again of the Dallas Stars for the second wild-card spot within the Western Convention, however don’t need to overwork Reimer over the ultimate month of the season.
“I feel he’s excited to play,” Boughner mentioned. “He’s a man that’s simple to speak to. good English. He’s blissful concerning the scenario that he’s in. He is aware of he’s going to get a terrific alternative right here, so he’s enthusiastic about it and hopefully, we are able to play arduous for him tonight.”
Kahkonen made 12 saves within the first interval because the Sharks weren’t in a position to set up should zone time within the opening 20 minutes. Oilers goalie Mike Smith had seven saves.