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BLUES The Blues' late-game comeback attempt against the Blackhawks on Tuesday ultimately fell short. Connor McMichael scored his first power-play goal as a Blue - and the team's first PPG of the season - with 37.9 seconds remaining in the third period to reduce the deficit to 3-2. The goal gave the Blues life and hope of pushing the game to overtime until Frank Nazar capitalized on an empty net to clinch a 4-2 win for Chicago in Patrick Kane's homecoming and their first win of the season.
Speaking to the media postgame, head coach Jim Montgomery praised the team's desperation in the third period when they trailed 2-1 but said that they lacked urgency in the second period. McMichael echoed that sentiment in his locker room interview.
"I thought the first and third were great," McMichael said. "We were playing our game and dictating play but we kind of fell asleep there in the second. I don't really know exactly where to pinpoint that, but it obviously it wasn't a good enough job in the second and we let the game slip away. It was just too much to come back from," McMichael said.
The Blues were sapped of momentum in the second period after McMichael's first goal was overturned due to offsides, another area that Montgomery stressed that his players need to be more disciplined in. The penalty kill also surrendered its first power-play goal of the season with Sam Rinzel, who capitalized on a Joel Hofer rebound for the Blackhawks' first goal of the game.
Montgomery said that McMichael - who finished with a goal and an assist on Mason McTavish's goal - was the team's best forward in the loss. Philip Broberg recorded his second assist of the season on McMichael's goal and Joel Hofer made 17 saves on 19 shots.
SHARKS The San Jose Sharks have become one of the NHL's most exciting young teams to watch over the past two seasons. While they are still in pursuit of their first playoff appearance since 2019, they were on the bubble last season, only four points out of a spot. The team placed fifth in the Pacific Division with 86 points and a 39-35-8 record.
With 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini taking the helm as captain, San Jose is looking to take the next step toward a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth. During the offseason, Celebrini signed a five-year extension with the Sharks. Other roster moves included forward Mason Marchment, goaltender Eric Comrie and defenseman Jacob Trouba signing as free agents, acquiring defenseman Darnell Nurse via trade with the Edmonton Oilers and drafting forward Ivar Stenberg second overall in this year's NHL Draft.
There was some roster turnover however, with forward William Eklund being dealt to the Ottawa Senators and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadulin to the Oilers in the Nurse trade. Defensemen Mario Ferraro and Vincent Desharnais departed San Jose during free agency.
The Sharks have begun their season with a 2-1 record, with back-to-back overtime wins over the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings before suffering a 5-0 shutout loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday.
Celebrini was a late scratch against Dallas due to a lower-body injury, according to San Jose Sharks PR. Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky told San Jose media on Tuesday that Celebrini was still being evaluated and classified his injury as day-to-day. He did not participate in the Sharks' practice at Enterprise Center on Wednesday.
