COLUMBUS – The San Jose Sharks visit the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Fabian Zetterlund and Henry Thrun scored, but the Sharks lose 4-2.
Period 1
Opening shift, Jenner, we’ve seen this story before, has a step for a breakaway. Ferraro does a good job of recovering, cutting off Jenner.
6 in: Point-blank save by Chrona on Meyer. Good start for him, though San Jose Sharks are giving up too much.
8 in: Eklund does his job, able to bump it out, Zadina grabs it in stride, protects, and almost connects with Sturm crashing the net.
Bordeleau in the dirty areas, he seems to be sticking his nose in there more.
9 left: Good puck battle win in DZ by Bailey. Helps get it out.
8 left: Kostin with a high-skill hard diagonal backhand pass through the middle to Bordeleau. That gets intercepted, maybe he gets talked to, but it worked. Then Bordeleau takes it to the net.
7 left: Bad Granlund turnover to F1, but Thrun kills the play, good work.
Jenner goal: Again, we’ve seen this story. Jenner beats, it looks like Barabanov (again) up the ice. Granlund had dove in on the forecheck and Barabanov became the high forward. But he looked like he was watching the puck, and not his man.
San Jose Sharks have a 12-9 shots edge, but they’ve given up too much at high-danger.
FWIW SPORTLOGiQ has it CBJ 5-4 Slot Shots, 4-4 High-Danger, but I liked the Jackets’ chances better.
Period 2
Nylander goal: Turnover high in OZ, Barabanov, then Zetterlund. Bad line change, Vlasic gets caught on an island, 2-on-1, Nylander beats Chrona clean.
San Jose Sharks’ PP1 is the same, PP2 is MacDonald-Kunin-Zadina-Barabanov-Kostin.
8 in: 6-foot-3 Gaunce gets knocked down by Bordeleau defending him one-on-one. Good work, recovering from Addison turnover.
Zetterlund goal: But then, Addison with a quick beaut stretch pass, perfect, to Granlund. Granlund circles net, holds and holds, protects and protects, Zetterlund seems open but Granlund gives it to a shooting Ferraro, and Zetterlund picks up the change. Great Granlund work.
Gaudreau goal: Chrona can’t get over. Gaudreau, of course, has a gift for finding the soft spots.
Bailey has moved up to the third line. Barabanov to the fourth line. Kostin to the top line.
Sharks actually have the bulk of chances, 12-5 Slot Shots, 7-6 High-Danger, and that’s at Even Strength.
Period 3
Barabanov remains on the PP.
9 in: That’s a good PP for the San Jose Sharks. Bordeleau sets up Eklund for a dangerous chance, then Granlund looks like he gets stoned.
Thrun goal: Labanc skates it out, then keeps, good kick pass, and looks like Thrun shoots it against the grain. Great save by Chrona before that.
7 left: Whoa Kunin got a hold of one. Nice set-up by Zadina off good Eklund lead pass.
6 left: Potential 2-on-1 for Carpenter and Barabanov, in the AHL, maybe Carpenter has more time to make a great play, but here, he’s caught from behind. But then, terrific fourth-line shift, Labanc does some nice work all over.
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