There was a lot of good news for the San Jose Sharks in their 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
Fabian Zetterlund scored once again, tying Tomas Hertl for the team lead with 14 goals. William Eklund struck, snapping a 17-game goalless streak. Justin Bailey added another. Kaapo Kahkonen overcame LA’s last-minute game-tying power play goal, off his own unforced delay of game, with 43 saves and a shootout shutout. And it was the second-straight win for the Sharks, their first multi-game winning streak since early December.
All that, however, was marred by a lower-body injury to their top defenseman, Mario Ferraro, who left the second period after getting tangled up with Trevor Lewis.
Ferraro tried to skate before the third period but was ruled out shortly thereafter.
San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn shared, “He’s gonna be out a couple of games.”
For what it’s worth, Ferraro was spotted post-game walking gingerly but on his own in the hallway.
So like it’s been so often for the 12-31-4 San Jose Sharks this season, you’ve got to take some bad with the good.
Zetterlund was happy for his buddy Eklund, and you could see the relief on the 21-year-old’s face post-game. Quinn talked up Eklund’s sense of purpose from the drop of the puck. And Jan Rutta praised Kahkonen, who the team awarded with their “Any Boys” win sign.
Fabian Zetterlund
Zetterlund, on Eklund snapping his slump:
It’s fun for him. He worked so hard for it. Probably he could shoot some more pucks, games before. But yeah, he has a good shot. I’m just glad for him.
Wiliam Eklund
Eklund, on Zetterlund telling him to shoot more:
I’ve been having a lot of chances to be being shooting more. Yeah, I’ll try to do that too.
David Quinn
Quinn, on if it was a good sign that Ferraro was able to test out the injury before the third period:
It is. But he’s gonna be out a couple of games [at least].
Quinn, on San Jose Sharks’ poor start:
We fueled their offense. Their first five chances were off the rush. Just mindless plays and turnovers. We’re chasing the puck too much. I thought we did a much better job playing structured hockey, playing off each other, having five guys involved.
You give up a breakaway in the first two minutes. Just a bad read by a forward covering for our D. We just dive in, just reckless, mindless things that give up a breakaway and then another 2-on-1.
Quinn, on Eklund’s sense of purpose from the drop of the puck, which earned him an in-game promotion from the third to first line:
From the get-go, you could tell he was on his game. I thought he really had jump. He was hard. He was making simple plays. I loved his game all the way up till the end there. Great to see him get rewarded from the goal standpoint. There was a lot to like about his game.
Jan Rutta
Rutta, on how good it felt to pick up Kahkonen after his gaffe, because of how good he was tonight:
I mean for the whole season. It’s hockey, those things happen. He’s been outstanding the whole game.
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