Karlsson 'feels good' after getting assist in Sharks debut

SAN JOSE -- Erik Karlsson didn't take long to get his first point for the San Jose Sharks, with a first-period assist in a 4-3 preseason loss to the Calgary Flames at SAP Center on Thursday.

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Karlsson took a 60-foot slap shot from above the right face-off circle that Calgary goaltender Mike Smith stopped but couldn't control. Antti Suomela got to the loose puck and scored from close range to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead 10:24 into the game.
"It was good," Karlsson said. "It was still the first game for me in a very long time. I could definitely feel that, but I think overall I felt a lot better than what I remember I used to at the beginning of the year. It feels good. Just got to work on a few small things, which we have enough time to do."
Karlsson, who was traded to San Jose by the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 13, had one shot on goal, four shot attempts, two hits, one takeaway, one blocked shot and was plus-1 in 25:05 of ice time.
"I thought he was good," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "He made a couple unbelievable passes. You saw the elite skill and the vision."
Karlsson said he expects to play in the preseason finale at the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. San Jose opens the regular season at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

Karlsson was paired with defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, as he has been in practice since reporting to the Sharks on Sept. 19.
"It was easy," Karlsson said. "He backed me a lot of times, which I appreciated a lot. So overall, a good first game. We got a few tendencies in. We're communicating out there and trying to figure out the best way to be successful, whether it's offensively or defensively. For the most part, especially defensively, it felt really good tonight."
Karlsson was on San Jose's top power-play unit with forwards Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski, and defenseman Brent Burns. The Sharks went 0-for-4 but had some good chances, including when Karlsson missed what he said was an empty net.
"It was a lot of fun to play with Erik," Vlasic said. "I'll play a lot more games with him, but it was good to get out there in a game to work on our game together. Next game will be even better and then we'll be 100 percent next Wednesday."