Sharks 2022-23 Game 41 Recap: Bruins 4, Sharks 2 (1/7/23)

 The Sharks kept this one closer than I thought they would, but they were still no match for one of the top teams in the NHL as they would fall 4-2 to the Boston Bruins. 

Despite staying in this one for the most part, the Sharks didn't show much life against the Bruins. As expected, the Bruins got on the board first early in the first period by Brad Marchand skating around and through defenders and going with the backhand. The Bruins then made it 2-0 at around the 5:30 mark of the first period via Craig Smith. Soon after, the Sharks cut their deficit in half by Logan Couture redirecting a shot from Alexander Barabanov for his 15th goal of the season. Marc-Eduoard Vlasic was credited with the secondary assist on the Sharks' first goal of this contest. 

Late in the second period, the Sharks knotted the game at two on Mario Ferraro's second goal of the game, in which he shot from the point, went off the back of Hampus Lindholm and into the back of the net past Linus Ullmark. Matt Benning and Matt Nieto picked up the assists on the Sharks' game-tying goal by Ferraro. Lastly, David Pastrnak scored the last two goals of the game for the Bruins, the first one at the 16:45 mark of the second period on the power play and the second one at the nine-minute mark of the third period. 

This was James Reimer's first start in a week, and although he was rusty at times, he was a huge factor as to why this game was as close as it was even if it may not have felt like it, recording 25 saves. 

I don't have much else to say about this one other than it pretty much went the way I expected it to. The Sharks are officially halfway through their 2022-23 campaign and are in the midst of one of their worst seasons in recent memory and franchise history. It's hard to see things getting much better for the Sharks this season, but a lot could happen between now and April when the regular season concludes. Next up, the Sharks are back on the road for their next two games, starting in Arizona against the Coyotes in their first-ever game at Mullett Arena on Tuesday at 6 pm PT. In addition, the Sharks and Bruins will face each other again in Boston at TD Garden later this month. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, NHL App, Bay Area News Group 

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