SAN JOSE, Calif. — Despite having a handful of rookies in the lineup — perhaps some more ready for a full-time position in the NHL than others — the San Jose Sharks were able to grind out a pair of improbable wins at home in recent days.
Thursday, though, some of that inexperience appeared to catch up with them.
The Sharks, with eight NHL rookies in the lineup, looked disorganized in their own zone at times, struggled with puck possession in others, and didn’t get the stellar goaltending they’ve become accustomed to in a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues at SAP Center.
The Sharks allowed second-period even-strength goals to Pavel Buchnevich, Brandon Saad and James Neal to fall behind 4-3 after two periods. San Jose couldn’t mount enough of a challenge in the third period as their record fell to 2-2-0 on their five-game homestand that ends Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.
Saad wired a long-range shot past Sharks goalie Adin Hill at the 8:09 mark of the second period to tie the game 3-3, and Neal was left all alone in front of the Sharks net on his goal just 3:33 later. Neal had time in front and beat Hill with a forehand to backhand move to give the Blues the lead.
Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Nick Merkley all scored and Hill finished with 23 saves. Hill is now winless in his last three starts.
The Sharks (6-4-0) have been shorthanded from an experience standpoint since Saturday afternoon when seven players and coach Bob Boughner landed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. Andrew Cogliano and Jonathan Dahlen since returned to the team, but they were replaced on the list by Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc.
No Sharks players were added or subtracted from the NHL’s COVID-19 list over the last two days but equipment manager Mike Aldrich joined a list of team staff members who are now in the league’s coronavirus protocol.
Aldrich joined coach Boughner and head athletic trainer Ray Tufts as non-playing members of the team who are in isolation away from the club. The players still on the COVID-19 list are Labanc, Meier, Matt Nieto, Erik Karlsson, Jake Middleton, Radim Simek, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Sharks assistant coach John MacLean said he wasn’t sure when some of the individuals in protocol would be able to return, saying, “honestly, we get differing views on when they test negative or how many tests they need. I think it’s just day-to-day.”
If no players in the protocol can return to the lineup by Saturday’s game against New Jersey, there is some optimism within the organization that they can rejoin the team sometime near the start of their road trip next week. The Sharks play in Calgary on Tuesday and Winnipeg on Thursday.
“That’s the hope. We’re hoping that that comes true for us,” MacLean said.
With Karlsson, Vlasic, Simek and Middleton all unavailable, and Santeri Hatakka injured, the Sharks again dressed three rookie defensemen — Merkley, Nicolas Meloche and Artemi Kniazev, who made his NHL debut.
The Sharks led 2-1 after the first period on special teams goals by Burns and Couture.
With the Sharks on a 5-on-3 power play, Burns scored his first goal of the season at the 7:13 mark, taking a pass from Tomas Hertl and one-timing it past Blues rookie goalie Joel Hofer for a 1-0 Sharks lead.
The Blues got that goal back 2:47, as the Sharks were caught a bit too deep on a power-play try. Tyler Bozak created a turnover at the Sharks’ blue line and went on a 2 on 1 with Saad, feeding him with a perfect saucer pass that Saad fired past Hill for his second of the season.
Couture then made the play of the first period.
With Mario Ferraro serving a boarding penalty, Couture picked Justin Faulk’s pocket at center ice, went in on a partial breakaway, and beat Hofer with a wrist shot through the five-hole for a 2-1 Sharks lead.
The Sharks no doubt wanted to challenge Hofer, who was making his NHL debut after Jordan Binnington started for the Blues in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Blues’ other goalie, Ville Husso, is on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
