SAN JOSE – Perhaps it’s understandable that some members of the San Jose Sharks are somewhat distracted right now with the NHL trade deadline less than three weeks away.
Certainly, a few players’ heads appeared to be elsewhere in the first period Monday, particularly on defense, as the Sharks allowed three goals in the opening 20 minutes in what became a 4-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center.
Less than a minute after the Sharks’ hit their second post in the first 90 seconds, Golden Knights forward Michael Amadio took a pass from Alec Martinez, split San Jose’s defense, and beat goalie Mackenzie Blackwood on a breakaway 2:28 into the opening period.
The Sharks also allowed an even-strength goal to William Karlsson and a power play goal to Mason Morelli before the first intermission, digging a hole they had little chance to escape, as they were shut out for the second time in four games without centers Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture.
But the offense, specifically creating scoring chances, wasn’t the primary problem against Vegas.
“We started great, ready to play, first 2½ minutes (we were) buzzing … and then we give up like our 38th breakaway in three games,” an agitated Quinn said. “It’s just inexcusable. It can’t happen.
“Guys make mistakes and you live with it, it happens. We’re just so puck-focused way too often. Our (defense) corps just has to count bodies. We get a puck deep, we shoot a puck and we stare at it instead of counting bodies and they get a clean breakaway. It wasn’t even close.”
Morelli’s goal, his first in the NHL, came with 48 seconds left in the first period as he found an open spot in the slot.
“When you give up a goal that easily, why wouldn’t you slump your freakin’ shoulders,” Quinn said. “(It was) nothing they did. Wasn’t a great play they made. We just fell asleep.”
The Sharks are now 1-3-1 since beating the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 30 and sat in next-to-last place in the NHL’s overall standings early Monday afternoon with 35 points. The Chicago Blackhawks (15-37-3) played at Carolina on Monday night and would move into a tie for 31st place with the Sharks with a victory.
In other words, the Sharks, with several players on expiring contracts, will be clear sellers before the trade deadline on March 8.
Among the players potentially on the move are pending unrestricted free agents Anthony Duclair, Mike Hoffman, Kevin Labanc, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Alexander Barabanov, who was a healthy scratch Monday.
Ideally, like general manager Mike Grier stated last month, the Sharks would like to get something in return for these players instead of walking them straight to free agency on July 1, if they do not choose to re-sign them.
Scouts from nine teams, including the Golden Knights, were in attendance Monday.
“We’re all human,” Quinn said. “If somebody told us in all the jobs we have, ‘Hey, in two and a half weeks you may not be where you’re at,’ I think we’d all react a little bit differently, and all these guys are no different. So I’m certainly cognizant of that.”
Is the deadline weighing on guys’ minds right now, defenseman Jan Rutta was asked.
“Yeah, everywhere, around the league,” said Rutta, who is signed through next season. “I mean, we’re probably not going to make the playoffs, so, yeah.”
The Sharks have seven games left before the deadline, including the next three at home as they face the Nashville Predators on Saturday, Timo Meier and the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 27, and the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 29.
The Sharks have to guard against letting this recent skid spiral, like it did twice earlier this season when they started 0-10-1 and went 0-12-0 from Dec. 15 to Jan. 9.
That might not be easy considering the distraction of March 8 and the absence of Hertl and Couture, who are both out indefinitely with lower body ailments.
“Have a short memory get back to work,” Sharks defenseman Ty Emberson said of not letting a losing streak begin. “There’s things that we can clean up and it’s not a whole lot of structure. It’s more of effort and just holding yourself accountable.
“Just keep your nose to the grindstone, try to have a short memory, and get back to work.”
IT HAPPENED AGAIN: Morelli, making his NHL debut, scored by tipping a pass from Alex Pietrangelo past Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.
The 28-year-old Morelli, who went undrafted and played for four years at Nebraska-Omaha before he turned pro in 2015, then assisted on Keegan Kolesar’s second-period goal, as Vegas took a 4-0 lead.
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Morelli became the 124th player to score their first NHL goal against the Sharks, who entered the league in 1991. Two other Golden Knights players also have that distinction: Cody Glass on Oct. 2, 2019, and Brayden Pachal at the start of this season on Oct. 12.
TRANSACTION: The Sharks activated defenseman Henry Thrun off of injured reserve before Monday’s game. To make room on the 23-man roster, the Sharks placed center Couture (groin) on IR.
Thrun’s last game was on Jan. 23, when he injured his shoulder by accidentally crashing into the boards in the third period of a game against the New York Rangers. Thrun missed six games and played 20:43 against Vegas.