UPDATE: The San Jose Sharks suffered a crushing 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at SAP Center, marking a dismal end to their three-game homestand. With the Sharks leading 2-1 entering the third period, the momentum quickly shifted, allowing the struggling Kraken to score two goals in just 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Only 1:55 into the final period, Ryker Evans fired a shot from the blue line that slipped past a screened Yaroslav Askarov, leveling the score. Just over a minute later, Ryan Lindgren netted his first goal of the season, giving the Kraken a 3-2 lead with 15:33 remaining on the clock.
The Sharks, unable to recover, missed a crucial opportunity to earn two points against a Kraken team that had claimed only one victory in its last eleven games. The loss dropped the Sharks to 1-2-0 in their recent homestand, further solidifying their place at the bottom of the Pacific Division.
Earlier in the game, the Sharks fell behind when Eeli Tolvanen scored for the Kraken, taking advantage of a misplay by Macklin Celebrini. The Sharks managed to tie the game in the second period when Adam Gaudette capitalized on a power play, scoring his eighth goal of the season at 11:22.
Despite dominating sections of the second period, the Sharks could not maintain their lead, leaving the sold-out crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center in stunned silence. Askarov made 28 saves during the match, but it was not enough to stave off the Kraken’s late surge.
Looking ahead, the Sharks’ next game is against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, before they travel to face the Vancouver Canucks next Saturday. Fans will be eager to see if the Sharks can bounce back from this disappointing defeat and reclaim their momentum after the holiday break.
Stay tuned for updates as the Sharks aim to turn their season around in the coming days.
