The San Jose Sharks mounted a comeback in the third period, but ended up dropping a 3-2 decision to the Calgary Flames at SAP Center on Thursday night.
After a road game in the desert, the Sharks returned home to host the Flames in a slightly chilly Bay Area.
Head coach Peter DeBoer did not make any changes to the Sharks’ lineup, however, Dylan DeMelo and Matt Nieto were healthy scratches for Thursday’s game against the Flames.
Just 20 seconds into the opening period, the Jaws theme song started playing. Matthew Tkachuk went to the penalty box for too many men on the ice. The Sharks went on their first power play of the game. Less than three minutes later, Alex Chiasson was called for interference, giving San Jose a second power play opportunity.
The Flames gave their opponents some pain and suffering. Melker Karlsson took a hard hit along the wall. Joonas Donskoi took a high stick from Brett Kulak. Both players returned to the Sharks’ bench late in the first.
The penalties kept piling up, but neither team managed to capitalize on the man advantage. Shots on goal were even at 7-7 and the contest was scoreless after 20 minutes.
Troy Brouwer took advantage of Micheal Ferland’s behind-the-back pass to give the Flames a 1-0 lead at 16:32 of the second period.
Matthew Tkachuk fired a wrist shot that deflected off Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s stick and beat Sharks goalie Martin Jones for a 2-0 lead at 18:05.
Despite a 17-17 tie in shots, the Flames led the Sharks 2-0 after 40 minutes.
The Sharks ascended in the final period, but the Flames had an edge.
Just 35 seconds into the third, Brent Burns pulled the Sharks within one on a one-timer from Joe Pavelski.
Melker Karlsson’s tip-in goal snuck past Flames goalie Chad Johnson and tied the contest 2-2 at 9:18.
Tkachuk took a pass from Michael Frolik and beat Jones on the backhand for his second goal of the game. The Flames were up 3-2 at 15:39.
The Sharks’ comeback wasn’t enough, as the Flames went on to pick up a 3-2 win.
Johnson made 26 saves in the victory. Jones made 19 saves in the losing effort.
“I don’t know,” Karlsson said. “We just gotta play better than that.”
DeBoer shared his thoughts in a press conference tonight.
“We’re getting a lesson in that,” DeBoer said. “The desperation level of teams we’re playing is high and ours is high for stages of the game, but not desperate for 60 minutes.”
Up Next
The Sharks return to action Saturday night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Stanley Cup rematch. Game time at 7:30 p.m. PST on CSCA, ROOT.
