No 40: After Quick Start, Sharks Snooze, Lose to Hawks 5-2

CHICAGO — The San Jose Sharks take on the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center.

Mario Ferraro and Michael Misa scored, but the Sharks lost 5-2.

Period 1

2 in: No shots yet for San Jose Sharks, but they’re on top of the puck, while the Hawks aren’t. San Jose can grab an early lead this period, for sure.

Lafferty tries to exit, but Dickinson stands him up. Like Sam imposing his size there, needs to keep doing that. He’s not a teenager, he’s 6-foot-3, if you know what I mean.

4 in: Cagnoni with a clever low-to-high behind-the-back pass. One of those, that’s gotta work 100 percent of the time. If not, you’re going to hear from the coach. But when it works, it’s usually to an open man, because the defender had overcommitted to intercepting pass. That’s a skill play.

6 in: Dickinson outbattles Bertuzzi along wall. Like again.

Ferraro goal: Just go to the net! Ferraro shot-pass evades Wennberg tip, but goes off Knight, off Del Mastro, and in. Wennberg crashing net draws bodies toward goal.

Chernyshov penalty: Careless one there, he’ll have to learn from that. Blunts clear Sharks’ momentum too, so not great timing. Hawks have been sleepwalking, now they’re going to be awake.

10 in: Great patience and vision by Wennberg on OZ wall, trying to fritter away Hawks’ PP time, but finds Ferraro in slot for a chance.

9 left: Hawks really snoozing. Early boo birds as their PP ends with no shot.

8 left: It’s end-of-season hockey, but Cagnoni just rolling around here like it’s the AHL. I mean that in the best way, he looks good. Great feed to Misa in the slot. Looks very comfortable in offensive end.

6 left: And solid Cagnoni defensive read, jumping Bedard feed to Nazar. Sharks need to tack another on this period, before Blashill reads Chicago the riot act.

Mikheyev penalty shot: And the Sharks, in a common young team trap, dominate, but then give up the worst of chances, a 2-on-1 (granted that’s Orlov going for a hit that he shouldn’t) and a penalty shot, both to Mikheyev. Huge Askarov saves on both.

2 left: Cagnoni slips F1 Lafferty like a bad habit. This is his most impressive period of NHL hockey that I’ve seen.

Period 2

Toffoli no-goal: Cagnoni had a superb keep-in on PP. Man, that was a play. Would’ve been Toffoli’s 20th, his 10th 20-goal season.

2 in: Misa right on top of Rinzel on forecheck.

3 in: How did Chernyshov miss that? Incredible set-up from Misa, cross-slot, yawning cage, but Chernyshov can’t corral it.

Misa goal: Simple hockey, just get it into the front, chaos. San Jose Sharks needed that one, they’ve been the better team, but need insurance. Earlier on PP, Celebrini had a rough one.

10 in: Another rough PP1, mostly Celebrini and Smith overpassing, I think. But there were spots there, Cagnoni had puck touches, assert and shoot. You’re the QB. A passive Sharks PP ends leads to Cagnoni penalty on Donato.

6 left: Mukhamadullin finds Graf in slot, sweet set-up, better save.

2 left: Solid puck protection by Wennberg to kill PK time. San Jose Sharks penalty kill looks…normal again?

Rinzel goal: Askarov has been good tonight, but that’s a bad one. Lack of focus with 30 seconds left in period? That hurts. Gotta lock down there. That’s something, anecdotally, that Askarov has suffered from this year. His timing giving up goals, never good to give any up, of course, but worse than you’d like. Give the Hawks life in a game that they were snoozing through. Doesn’t take away from the great saves that he had made, especially back-to-back on Mikheyev? It’s been a while since it’s felt like Askarov has put together a good 60 minutes.

Period 3

2 in: Greene goes wide on a down-low 2-on-1 one-timer. Sharks survive. Couple plays lead to that I don’t love,

Crevier goal: San Jose Sharks get what they deserve. On one end, Celebrini line free-wheeling, throwing puck around, they don’t get a shot off. Smith cross-slot sauce to Celebrini, I mind less, but then from OZ corner, Celebrini centers it hard to slot, no one home, Bedard able to hoof it out. Beautiful backhand pass by Bedard, not sure why Dickinson let Crevier go, and Crevier roofs it. If Sharks drop this one, just a young immature loss IMO, the way that the Hawks started this game, San Jose should be up 4-2.

Greene goal: Man, what a reversal.  It’s now the Sharks sleepwalking through the game. Dickinson doesn’t get it out when he has the chance, but San Jose doesn’t, and on cycle, Greene beats Wennberg to the front, Del Mastro feed. I wonder if Wennberg is a little banged up, he been knocked down a couple times tonight, unusual for him, and he’s been getting a number of maintenance days. But team-wide, really sleepy period.

Crevier goal: Cagnoni can’t pin Bertuzzi in corner. That kind of play will matter a lot long-term. Bertuzzi goes low-to-high to Crevier, who blasts it. Sherwood gives Askarov a stick tap after. Total collapse.

Lardis goal: Too easy.

5 left: Celebrini line looks frustrated, and they should be. It’s too late to play direct hockey, they had their chance, and now they’re just trying to come back with tough pass after pass. Celebrini pretty much D-to-D pass, usually one they make, misses.

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