The San Jose Sharks couldn’t overcome a slow start and their own parade to the penalty box in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday at the United Center.
The Sharks trailed by two after a sluggish first period and allowed a power play goal by Nick Foligno just 43 seconds into the second period to fall behind 3-0.
The Sharks cut the Blackhawks’ lead to two on two occasions, including in the third period when Fabian Zetterlund scored his second of the season at the 2:52 mark to make the score 4-2. But San Jose (0-2-2) could not get any closer, leaving Ryan Warsofsky still looking for his first win as an NHL head coach.
Connor Bedard, selected first overall by Chicago in 2023, had two assists for the Blackhawks (2-2-1) and now has seven points in five games this season. Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick by the Sharks in June, missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury and remains on IR.
Mikael Granlund and William Eklund assisted on both Sharks goals, including Tyler Toffoli’s third of the season at the 18:17 mark of the second period to cut the Blackhawks lead to 3-1.
But Jason Dickinson scored a pretty goal for Chicago to restore the three-goal lead at the 2:19 mark of the third period, as he came from the side of the net, took a pass from Joey Anderson, and beat Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek from in close.
Tyler Bertuzzi also scored a power goal for Chicago as the Sharks were shorthanded a season-high seven times. San Jose had killed 11 straight penalties in its first three games of the season.
Vanecek allowed three goals on 23 shots in the first two periods. In that time, the Sharks managed just 11 shots on Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek, although the line of Toffoli, Granlund, and Eklund applied more pressure in the third period.
Vanecek finished with 23 saves and Mrazek had 20 in the first of three meetings between the Sharks and Blackhawks this season.
The Sharks are now 0-11-3 in October games since a 4-3 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 27, 2022, at SAP Center.
The Sharks’ road trip ends Friday night in Winnipeg against the Jets.