The San Jose Sharks played the Anaheim Ducks in their second preseason game on Tuesday night, and it was quite a different performance than we saw in their opening matchup. The Ducks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead during the first period. After all was said and done, the Sharks walked away defeated with a final score of 4-2 in favor of the Ducks. Anaheim played a much different system than they did the last time the Sharks faced them, as Greg Cronin’s system seemed much more effective than that of the previous regime. When the right pieces are in place, it certainly seems that Anaheim and its young core will become a pain in the Sharks’ side for years to come.
This also marked the first meeting of a few key players that will become cornerstones of their respective franchises in the future. William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund, and Shakir Mukhamadullin will certainly get used to lining up across from players like Olen Zellweger and Jacob Perreault in a few years’ time. There were a couple of concerning trends during the game, but also a few positive things that were evident.
Blackwood Finding His Footing
Mackenzie Blackwood got off to a rough start with his new team, allowing three goals on eight shots during his first period in teal. He did make a couple of nice saves, but overall he left quite a bit to be desired. Fans certainly took notice as well, with him earning applause for a simple dump and chase save. The defense in front of him wasn’t doing him many favors though, with a few errant passes and turnovers from the youth and veterans alike.
During the second period, his play improved significantly. Despite one close call on the first shot of the period, which seemed to have him beat if it was on target, he played very well for the remainder of the game and stopped every shot he faced in the final 40 minutes of the game. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and David Quinn both stated that they believed he played a strong game despite the three early goals. Vlasic in particular said that the defense was simply losing too many battles and as a result, Blackwood didn’t get a lot of help.
Eklund Gaining Trust, Still Room for Improvement
Eklund had a very strong showing, he seemed to be in the right places at the right times and was making smart plays throughout. Of course, he did make some mistakes which are expected of any young player during the preseason, but overall he played an impressive game. He seems like the type of player who should be on the opening night roster, and he could become one of the main bright spots of the season as a whole. With that being said, there’s still a lot for him to learn and he needs to improve in certain areas of his game.
Quinn was trusting him with both penalty kill and power play time, and he certainly got a solid return on his investment. Eklund played very well when the Sharks were down a man, and on the man advantage, he scored on a cannon of a one-timer during the second period to give the Sharks their first goal of the night. After the game, Quinn stated that he felt Eklund’s “first two periods were just okay, and the third was better for him.”
Mukhamadullin Fighting for Roster Spot
Mukhamadullin was showing off his skill fairly regularly with some nice moves on zone entries and overall confidence that we haven’t really seen from him before at this level. He got an assist on Eklund’s power-play goal in the second period, and although he made a few mistakes, specifically when it came to keeping the puck in the zone, there isn’t much negative that can be said about how he played. He was undoubtedly one of the best Sharks on the ice and played at a very high level. Both Vlasic and Quinn praised the Russian defenseman after the game, and deservingly so. He is far from a lock for the opening night roster, but Quinn said that Mukhamadullin has certainly impressed him.
Honorable Mention: Leon Gawanke
Leon Gawanke played a solid game all the way around, but there was one moment in particular that stood out to me in this game. When Brayden Tracey was exiting the penalty box for the Ducks, Gawanke did a great job breaking up the breakaway attempt, losing his stick in the process then immediately blocking a shot before skating off to finish his shift. It showed the level of determination he has to make the play, as well as his capability to be in the right position at the right time.
Related: 3 Takeaways From San Jose Sharks Preseason Opener
Overall, the Sharks didn’t get the start they wanted, and from there they slowly improved. A few of their key prospects performed at a very high level, which is the main thing they would hope to see at this point. Both Eklund and Mukhamadullin seem ready to play in the NHL, the only question is whether or not the organization agrees. There’s certainly a lot for these young players to learn, especially when it comes to starting strong out of the gate. That will come over time though, for now, there’s a lot of promise for the organization’s future.
