Sharks 2023-24 Game 34 Recap: Canucks 7, Sharks 4 (12/23/23)

 The Sharks and Canucks scored in every period of this one, but Team Teal was chasing from the get-go as they fell 7-4 in their final game before the Christmas break in Vancouver. 

Andrei Kuzmenko scored the first two goals to start this one off for the Canucks, while the Sharks answered with two of their own from Mikael Granlund and Tomas Hertl to even it up through one period of play. The first Sharks goal initially went to Anthony Duclair but was changed to Granlund’s goal after Granlund got a piece of it before finding the back of the net, with Duclair getting the primary assist instead. Filip Zadina was credited with the primary assist on the second of these two goals, while Mario Ferraro assisted on both Sharks goals in the first period. 

The Canucks regained their two-goal lead in the second period on goals from Nils Aman and Sam Lafferty. The Sharks had another response, this time with Fabian Zetterlund’s ninth goal of the season to get back within one, with Mario Ferraro earning his third assist of the night and Mikael Granlund getting the secondary assist on the third Sharks goal in this one. Vancouver remained in control, with Dakota Joshua scoring to make it 5-3 through two periods of play. 

Team Teal would add one more goal in the third period via Jacob MacDonald from Filip Zadina and Jan Rutta, while the Canucks added two more goals via Pius Suter and an empty-netter from Quinn Hughes to round out the season series between these two teams. 

Mackenzie Blackwood recorded a total of 19 saves on 25 shots against in the Sharks’ fifth straight defeat. 

In all, the Sharks’ offensive output improved compared to their previous four games, but this team is back to their old ways, and a few big reasons for this are due to the injury bug, poor puck management, and not-so-great coverage on defense. They resume action on Wednesday in LA against the Kings at 7 pm PT. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, NHL App 

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