This was not a game that a playoff team would lose.
That’s just my opinion about the Sharks’ 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at SAP Center. The obvious response? Well, this isn’t a playoff team.
So we can look at this defeat in the prism of this is a game that a future San Jose team might not blow.
Of course, it’s crazy to even be talking about the postseason with a Sharks squad that hasn’t been over .500 this “late” in the season since 2021-22. It’s the first time since that year that we’re legitimately talking about real victories and not just moral victories.
These weren’t the only mistakes in a game where San Jose struggled after a strong opening frame. But each of the Senators’ three goals were caused by unforced Sharks’ errors.
Philipp Kurashev took an unnecessary retaliatory penalty on Jake Sanderson, after a hard-but-clean Sanderson hit, leading to a Dylan Cozens power play goal.
The top line of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Kurashev changed early twice, resulting in a Fabian Zetterlund strike and Tim Stutzle’s game-winner.
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