Main Takeaways from Sharks 2-1 Overtime Win in D.C.

The San Jose Sharks have won three of their last four as they beat the Washington Capitals 2-1 in overtime. 

Ryan Warsofsky has the attention of the players in the Sharks locker room. After 27 games last season, the David Quinn led Sharks lost their first 11 games of the season with an overall record of 8-17-2. Warsofsky’s Sharks are currently 10-13-5, a seven point increase. 

What’s even more encouraging for this Sharks group is after losing their first nine games of the season, eight of which Macklin Celebrini was injured, San Jose has posted a WINNING record of 10-6-3. 

These aren’t your David Quinn’s San Jose Sharks, nor are they Bob Boughner’s. This is a team that bites and gnaws at teams. This is a team that has an identity, a fighting spirit, and a team that is learning how to win like Pete DeBoer’s San Jose Sharks.

While San Jose has a long way to go to match the excellence that DeBoer enjoyed with the franchise, the Sharks are giving their fans what they wanted to see this year. Evidence of competitive progress. No one expected a playoff run from this group, but could they fight back? Could they not be completely embarrassing and unwatchable? 

Not only are they not embarrassing, not unwatchable, but the Sharks are a fun, competitive hockey team. They just went into Washington beating a Capitals team who is tied for the league lead in points! 

Here are the main takeaways for how the Sharks bested the Capitals.

Clean between the pipes.

The Sharks were outshot in the first two periods, but were kept in the game by Mackenzie Blackwood’s stellar play. Blackwood denied the Capitals on each of their three power play opportunities, his only blemish coming on a Nic Dowd one time snipe in the second period. 

The Sharks were able to outshoot Washington in the third stanza, but admittedly had some help at the end when the Sharks were gifted a double-minor penalty for high sticking. San Jose still gives up too many shots and prime scoring chances, but if their goaltending keeps making big saves, they will still find ways to win games they absolutely lose a season ago. 

“Holy F--k”

Celebrini notched an assist on William Eklund’s overtime goal in his first game since being named the NHL’s first star of the week for the first time in his young career. Rounding out the three stars with Celebrini was Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughs and tonight’s opponent Jakob Chychrun of the Capitals. 

Celebrini was all over the ice once again Tuesday night, proving to be a difference maker at the end of the game drawing a double-minor high-sticking penalty from Tom Wilson. 

The Sharks capitalized on the penalty that bled into overtime when Celebrini found Mikael Granlund who zipped a pass to Eklund for a one-timer that snuck the puck through Logan Thompson’s 5-hole. The assist extended Celebrini’s point streak to 5 games. 

Celebrini keeps dropping jaws with his advanced play, skill, and hokey IQ as a teenager which should excite Sharks fans beyond comprehension. 

Granny Style

Granlund now has points in three straight games as his overtime primary assist keeps him at an above a point per game pace. 29 pts in 27 games. My lord, what a season the veteran is having. Granlunds 1.12 PPG would be a career high and his best total since he recorded 0.87 PPG both last year in 69 games and in 2017-18 as a member of the Minnesota Wild in 77 games. 

If Granlund continues this type of play, Mike Grier will have a hard decision to make at the trade deadline whether to use the Finnish forward as a piece to build around for the future or as trade bait to get a big haul from a contending team. 

The Sharks will hit the halfway point of their six game road trip when they play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. I don’t want Sharks fans to get a big head or anything, but as it sits right now, San Jose is only three points shy of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.