Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 16: The San Jose Sharks skate off the ice following their 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 16: San Jose Sharks’ Noah Gregor (73) takes a shot against Vancouver Canucks’ Nils Hoglander (21) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 16: San Jose Sharks’ Timo Meier (28) can’t get the puck past Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 16: San Jose Sharks’ Brent Burns (88) controls the puck against Vancouver Canucks’ Kyle Burroughs (44) in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. Meier got one goal back near the end of the first period, beating Demko for his 12th goal of the season 2:38 left in the opening period. The Sharks put 13 shots on Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko in the first period but still allowed the first two goals.īrock Boeser scored an even-strength goal at the 12:41 mark of the first period, followed by a power-play goal from Horvat at the 16:23 mark. San Jose managed just eight shots in the first period to the expansion Kraken, passing up a handful of chances to shoot. The Sharks were looking for a better start than they had in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Instead of Hunt and Poolman, the Canucks dressed Guillaume Brisebois and Noah Juulsen – two blueliners with a combined 58 NHL games – to be their fifth and sixth defensemen. However, the Canucks experienced no new COVID cases Wednesday night and were able to fly to San Jose and have a normal game-day preparation.
Jim Benning was also fired as the team’s general manager as part of the house cleaning, with Jim Rutherford taking over as Vancouver’s president of hockey operations.įour Canucks players entered the NHL’s COVID protocol on Tuesday – forward Juho Lammikko and defensemen Luke Schenn, Brad Hunt, and Tucker Poolman.Ĭanucks assistant coach Jason King was added on Wednesday, and there was understandable concern that other Vancouver players and staff members were going to test positive and that Thursday’s game would have to be postponed. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Īlmost as important, the Sharks (15-14-1) are now just one point ahead of the Canucks, who have won six in a row since they replaced Travis Green with Bruce Boudreau as coach earlier this month. SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 16: San Jose Sharks’ Matt Nieto (83) fights for the puck against Vancouver Canucks’ Tyler Myers (57) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. The Sharks are now in a tie for fifth place in the Pacific Division with the Los Angeles Kings, five points back of the third-place Vegas Golden Knights. Miller scored after a Karlsson turnover with 2:38 left in regulation, and Jason Dickenson followed that up with an empty-net goal with 1:03 to go. But I don’t think it was anything more than just being frustrated, not so much the schedule.”Īfter Cogliano’s goal at the 8:29 mark of the third period, J.T. “Again, the longer you go without scoring, the frustration sets in a little bit, and I think that could wear you down. “First period, even though we were down, we felt pretty good about our period,” Boughner said. The Sharks have now scored just seven goals in their last four games, and two goals or less in eight of their last 11. Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks top San Jose Sharks Close Menu