Sharks 2023-24 Game 10 Recap: Canucks 10, Sharks 1 (11/2/23)

 The Vancouver Canucks continue their surprisingly torrid start to the 2023-24 season as they dismantle the Sharks 10-1.

The Canucks scored two quick goals by Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller after Nico Sturm took a double-minor for high-sticking, which ended up being a very costly penalty for Team Teal. Vancouver proceeded to score two more in the first period via Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser’s second of the game to dig a deeper hole for the Sharks. 

Vancouver wasn’t done yet, extending its lead to five early in the second period via Ilya Mikheyev and to six later on in the middle frame via Andrei Kuzmenko. In addition, right after Kuzmenko scored, his thigh made contact with Kaapo Kahkonen’s head accidentally. Kahkonen was pulled at that point but luckily is okay, with Mackenzie Blackwood taking over for the Sharks in net. Blackwood then gave up two more in the second period on a wraparound goal by Sam Lafferty and a one-timer by Pius Suter to make it 8-0 in favor of the Canucks. Luke Kunin and Phil Di Giuseppe also got in a relatively small scrap as well. 

The Canucks added the cherry on top of this completely lopsided beatdown in the third period after Anthony Beauvillier scored twice to make it 10-0. Later in the third, the Sharks out of nowhere avoided their worst shutout in franchise history after Fabian Zetterlund finally got Team Teal on the board, with Luke Kunin and Kevin Labanc collecting the assists on San Jose’s lone goal of the game. 

Kaapo Kahkonen recorded 13 saves before getting subbed by Mackenzie Blackwood in the middle frame, recording ten saves during the remainder of the game. On a side note, Nikita Okhotiuk made his Sharks debut tonight, while Jacob MacDonald made his season debut after being recently activated off the IR. Matt Benning was placed on IR with a lower-body injury in a corresponding move as the injuries continue to pile up for Team Teal. 

The Sharks have officially hit rock bottom, but it seems like they have yet to truly hit rock bottom this season. Otherwise I am at a loss for words. The only way can be up from here, as the Sharks will try to bounce back in their next game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at 7 pm PT. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, ESPN, NHL App 

You can further support my blogs by checking out my merch (sample pictured below): CPF Store