Brodie’s Breakdown vs UTA (10/17)

Brodie’s Breakdown vs UTA (10/17)

Brody Brazil here to recap game four on the season and the first of 41 on the road for the Sharks. They fall 6-3 to the Mammoth in their first and only visit to Delta Center. It was an uphill battle from the start within the first nine minutes of this game. Utah had eight shots that missed the net, four more that were blocked and four that were saved by Yarlav Vascarov. All before the Sharks even had their very first shot attempt. In fact, shot differential has been a noticeable trend against the Sharks so far this season in their first three games, allowing 118 shots while putting only 63 on net despite needing overtime to decide two of those very close games. But eventually tonight, playing without the puck too much started to cost the Sharks. San Jose found itself on the wrong side of a five on three power play and that’s where Nick Schmaltz went to work. He’s parked right there on the slot. The one-time makes it a one- nothing game. Really hard for anybody to defend and hard for Ascarov to stop with Schmaltz right there on the inside. And then inside 7 minutes left, a wall battle in the Sharks end. Turns into a turnover. The puck goes quickly back to Schmaltz and he’s ready to capitalize in the scoring area again. Obviously, his second of the night, second of the period, 15th career multi-goal game. And we’re already on hat-tick watch for the final 46 plus minutes. And look, if we’re being honest, there were a lot of games last season where the Sharks night kind of felt over in situations just like this. Down 02 on the road, not much going offensively and they wouldn’t find a way to at least make things interesting. But what happened next in the middle frame was definitely a response. It was definitely a statement and very much some evidence of growth for all of us who watch this team. On their first power play of the night, the Sharks waste no time and waste no opportunity for some momentum. Dmitri Orof’s point shot produced that juicy rebound shortside and Tyler to Foley was there. He gets his second goal this season. It was the Sharks fourth power play marker in four games so far this year. Just a really nice way for the Sharks to finally establish themselves in this evening relatively early in the second period. And it didn’t take long for the Sharks to equalize. Literally 1 minute 15 seconds later. Check Jeff Skinner far corner there. That backhand centering pass turned into a shot that worked. That puck deflected off the defender Cole and beat Vamela. Celebriny was there. He just didn’t get a stick on it. So, credit Skinner with his third goal of the season already. And the Sharks feeling absolutely different about this game midway through than they did in the first few minutes. And here’s something to consider. We know what the addition of Tyler to Foley meant to the Sharks last season. Not just his leadership on the ice, which obviously earned him the role of wearing that A on his sweater every game this year, but also a legitimate 30goal scorer who’s doing the exact opposite thing of slowing down with age. which is a lot like Jeff Skinner so far this season. Three goals on a top six role. He’s the kind of player that Mike Greer brought in for his experience, but yes, is also producing. If he’s the Tofoi 2.0 edition of this season in San Jose, well, that’s going to be a great piece for the Sharks. One more goal to show you here from the second period, and this one is as unfortunate as they get. Ascarov trying to play the puck on the inboards and that turnover went right to Liam O’Brien who was playing his first game back after injury in six months scoring his first goal there since April of 2024. That’s when this team was the Coyotes and only his 12th career goal in 228 games played. But it put the Mammoth up 3-2 going into the second intermission. And actually Utah had the chance for even more. Check out this hat-tick bid by Nick Schmaltz. as gradea A as they get, but Asky making multiple good stops until he could cover the puck. And again, it was a statement period for the Sharks coming in without much to show, but going back into the dressing room feeling like it was anybody’s game. Unfortunately, the third period is where things got a little unraveled. Utah got three more goals, including that completion of the Nick Schmaltz hattick within the very first minute. Carone and Keller also picked up their respective first goals of the season for Utah. But there’s one more thing worth sharing here in the final 20. Mlin Celebrini late on the power play with the beauty of a snapshot through traffic. That’s his first goal of this season. But obviously not enough for the Sharks who fall 6-3 in the final score from Salt Lake City. And you know what? Even if tonight went the right way and was that first win of the season for San Jose, this whole weekend was set up to be difficult for the Sharks. It’s their first of 16 back-to-back games this season. That’s the most in the NHL. Sometimes those sequences don’t include travel. They’re both home games, but this one does include travel. So, the Sharks will be back at the tank in California on Saturday night to host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Brodie Brazil breaks down the Sharks 3-6 loss to the Utah Mammoth on October 17, 2025.