SAN JOSE – Perhaps it could have been considered an opportunity for San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund to get his bearings again, to take some responsibility off of his plate after he went five games without registering a point.
After centering San Jose’s second line for much of the last four weeks, Eklund started Thursday’s game with the Tampa Bay Lightning on the fourth line, a clear demotion, so to speak.
“It’s been a tall task for him,” Sharks coach David Quinn said of Eklund and the second line center role on Thursday morning. “Everybody wants to play center in the National Hockey League until they go through it and experience and go, ‘Woah, maybe this isn’t what I thought it was going to be,’ because it’s unlike any other level.”
The question was how Eklund was going to respond.
Pretty well, turns out, although he and the Sharks still didn’t get the end result they wanted.
Eklund scored his 10th goal of the season in the first period Thursday, but the Sharks allowed two third-period goals to Brayden Point and one to ex-teammate Anthony Duclair in a 4-1 loss to the Lightning at SAP Center.
Point’s first goal came at the 34-second mark of the third period with Jan Rutta serving a slashing penalty. Duclair’s goal, his fourth with his new team since he was acquired by Tampa Bay from the Sharks on March 7, came at the end of a pretty passing sequence.
Point also scored at the 14:02 mark of the third period, giving hm 40 for the season. Nikita Kucherov assisted on all four Lightning goals to give him a league-leading 122 points this season.
Nick Paul also scored a funky first-period goal in the win as the Lightning handed the Sharks their sixth straight loss.
In the skid, San Jose has been outscored 16-1 in the third period.
On Eklund’s, Jacob MacDonald picked up a loose puck that Erik Cernak had lost control of, entered the Lightning zone, and put a pass toward the middle of the ice that Eklund snapped past Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Eklund finished with the one shot on goal in over 13 minutes of ice time Thursday. The Sharks next game is Saturday at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.
San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) celebrates his goal with teammates, including San Jose Sharks’ Ryan Carpenter (22) against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Still, despite the third period, it was a slightly better game overall for the Sharks after they allowed four third-period goals on Tuesday in an 8-2 loss to the Nashville Predators. In that game, the Sharks basically stopped playing with about seven or eight minutes to go, something Quinn addressed before Thursday’s game.
Eklund went without a point on the Sharks’ 0-5-0 road trip, as the last time found the scoresheet before Thursday was at home on March 9 when he assisted on Thomas Bordeleau’s power-play goal against the Ottawa Senators.
On the trip, Eklund was also 9-for-43 in the faceoff dot, usually taking draws against bigger, more experienced players.
The NHL schedule has taken a toll on Eklund, as it does for most players not used to the physical and mental grind of an 82-game season. Eklund played 62 games last season, with 54 coming at the AHL level where there’s less travel and more practice time. Thursday was his 67th game this season.
“He might be wearing out a little bit physically because it’s a long season and he’s not a big guy,” Quinn said. “He’s playing against everybody’s top lines and pairings and it can catch up to you.”
San Jose Sharks goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (29) makes a save in front of Tampa Bay Lightning’s Darren Raddysh (43) in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
BLACKWOOD RETURNS: The Sharks needed some sort of confidence boost after they allowed 22 even-strength goals on the five-game road trip.
Mackenzie Blackwood tried to provide that Thursday, as he stopped
Blackwood hadn’t played since Feb. 27 when he was injured in the first period of the Sharks’ home game against the New Jersey Devils.
Related Articles
Lightning’s Stamkos offers hope to Sharks fans, advice to prospects like Smith (and Celebrini)
Ex-Sharks winger providing ‘a spark’ for Tampa Bay since deadline deal
Sharks activate Blackwood off IR, keep Los Gatos native on team
Sharks’ AHL team adds racism whistleblower Aliu on PTO; Smith a Hobey Baker candidate
Why Sharks’ upcoming homestand still holds some intrigue
“It helps a lot,” Quinn said of having Blackwood back. “As a player when you know you’ve got a goalie of that stature back there, it just makes everything a little bit different. You approach things differently, feel better, approach your responsibilities little bit differently, so that certainly helps.”
It’s safe to say Blackwood is going to get the bulk of the work with now 13 games left in the regular season. Devin Cooley, with one NHL start under his belt, is the backup to Blackwood for the time being.