SAN JOSE — Goalie Yaroslav Askarov has been everything the San Jose Sharks have wanted him to be in his first two starts for their top minor league affiliate.
He’s even, upon request, dialed back the post-victory celebrations, at least to some degree.
Askarov was perfect again Saturday, making 26 saves as he earned his second straight shutout to start the season, leading the San Jose Barracuda to a 5-0 win over the Iowa Wild before an announced crowd of 3,942 at Tech CU Arena.
Askarov made 10 saves in the first period and helped the Barracuda kill off four minor penalties, earning his 11th shutout in 94 career AHL games. He also made 22 saves for San Jose in a 5-0 win over Ontario last week.
Two Barracuda players scored their first goals as professionals, with 24-year-old forward Donavan Houle scoring his first two goals as a professional and 19-year-old defenseman Luca Cagnoni getting his first.
“The team played unreal,” Askarov told reporters. “That helps me a lot, and I try to do the same (for them). It’s a good team win.”
After he shut out Ontario, Askarov, known for some flamboyant celebrations after shutouts and victories, lowered the crossbar onto the ice. After a 45-save shootout victory for the Milwaukee Admirals on Feb. 11, 2023, Askarov laid down with his back on the ice, pulled the net down, and began bench-pressing the crossbar.
YAROSLAV ASKAROV
that’s it. no other words.#AHL #BarracudaHockey #TheFutureIsTeal #IAvsSJ pic.twitter.com/WjsPrC6nBV
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 20, 2024
Saturday, his celebration was a bit toned down. He pumped his fist right after the final horn as his teammates congratulated him. Named the game’s second star, he played to the crowd a bit by removing his mask and cupping his ear with his glove.
“Someone told me, try to be more quiet,” Askarov said of his celebrations. “Not quiet, but take it easy.”
Regardless of how the 2023-24 AHL All-Star Classic participant celebrates wins now, Askarov has come as advertised after the Sharks acquired him from the Nashville Predators in August.
Now it’s a matter of when he’ll be recalled by the Sharks and play another NHL game.
On their 23-man roster, the Sharks have 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two healthy goalies in Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek. After he acquired Askarov from the Predators in August, Sharks general manager said he wouldn’t rule out starting the season with three goalies on the roster.
It is unclear whether that mindset has changed now, but Grier clearly believes in competition. For now, the Sharks will be patient and let the process happen.
“We have pretty good depth now, so I think it’ll just kind of play out naturally,” said Barracuda general manager and Sharks assistant GM Joe Will told Bay Area News Group last week.
“We’re just getting used to having (Askarov) here, and he’s getting used to being here. And so I think it was all set up not to be in a hurry or anything, but just to let it evolve organically.”
It’s then possible that Askarov will have to wait for an injury or a trade to be added to the Sharks roster. Askarov has played three NHL games, going 1-1-0 with a .914 save percentage for the Predators.
The Sharks will probably know when Askarov, or any goalie, is ready for the NHL when they show that they can “take a good workload of games and perform well within those games,” Will said, “and they kind of show you by their play.”
“Does he control the game for us, and that’s going to mean different things on different nights,” Barracuda coach John McCarthy said last week. “Does he deal with everything thrown at him in a mature way, and does that show up on the ice?”
There’s no issue to this point. After playing Iowa again on Sunday, when Georgi Romanov is expected to start in net, Askarov will likely get at least one start again next week when the Barracuda travel to face the Henderson Silver Knights on Wednesday and Friday.
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For however long he is in the AHL, Askarov figures to give the Barracuda a chance to win just about every time he’s in the net. That’s huge for a team that has had substandard team save percentages of .864, .891, and .890 the past three seasons and has designs on making the playoffs this season.
“Guys are excited to play in front of him,” McCarthy said. “(All) you need to know about a goalie is how the guys play in front of him, and there seems to be a lot of trust in him.”