UPDATE: The San Jose Sharks suffered a devastating 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, ending their three-game homestand in disarray. Just 1:55 into the third period, the Sharks, who were leading 2-1, allowed two quick goals in under three minutes, sealing their fate in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.
The turning point came when a shot from Ryker Evans unexpectedly fluttered past Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov, leveling the score. Just minutes later, Ryan Lindgren scored his first goal of the season, putting the Kraken ahead 3-2 with 15:33 left in the game. The Sharks failed to respond, squandering a key opportunity against a struggling Kraken team that had only one win in their last eleven games.
Despite dominating stretches of the second period, the Sharks could not recover. Collin Graf and Adam Gaudette both found the net for the Sharks, but their efforts were not enough as they fell to a 1-2-0 record on this homestand. This loss marks their third defeat in the last six games.
Early in the match, the Kraken took the lead at the 6:52 mark of the second period when Eeli Tolvanen capitalized on a defensive miscue, firing a shot past Askarov to make it 1-0. The Sharks finally broke through on the power play, with Gaudette scoring his eighth goal of the season at 11:22 in the second, assisted by Macklin Celebrini and Igor Chernyshov.
Askarov was busy throughout the game, making 28 saves, including a critical stop against Kaapo Kakko late in the first period that kept the Sharks in contention. However, the inability to maintain their lead proved costly as the Sharks now face increasing pressure going into their next matchup.
Looking ahead, the Sharks will play their final game before the Christmas break on Tuesday, December 26, against the Vegas Golden Knights, followed by a road game against the Vancouver Canucks next Saturday. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if the Sharks can bounce back from this disappointing defeat.
“We had our chances, but we just couldn’t find the back of the net,” said Sharks’ Coach after the game. “We need to regroup and come back stronger.”
As the Sharks look to turn their fortunes around, the urgency to secure points is paramount. The pressure is on as they head into a critical stretch of their season.
