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Fragile Sharks Fall Apart in 7-2 Loss to Kings
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- Fragile Sharks Fall Apart in 7-2 Loss to Kings
Fragile Sharks Fall Apart in 7-2 Loss to Kings
LOS ANGELES — The San Jose Sharks visit Crypto.com Arena to take on the Los Angeles Kings.
Macklin Celebrini and Ivar Stenberg scored, but the Sharks were dismantled 7-2 by the Kings.
Period 1
Kempe goal: The San Jose Sharks fall asleep at the wheel. What an awful start. Gotta watch replay, but Dickinson pinched, fine, he got to the puck. But not sure what happened behind him, if there was a line change or a forward failed to cover, but Kempe got behind for the breakaway.
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7 in: Multiple times, Sharks had chances to dump it in, but they lose it on entry, feeding the Kings' counterattack. Kings have had five shots so far, not great, but even worse, all of them have felt like scoring chances or Grade-A scoring chances. I do not like what I'm watching so far. Obviously, a controlled entry is preferred to dump-in, but you must take what you're given, too.
Celebrini penalty: Another good-looking kill. I know a lot of public analytics dislike the Sharks' penalty kill, despite their success so far. I wonder what San Jose's internal KPI's for their PK are? Cross-slot passes? They definitely pack up the middle, keep things to the perimeter.
8 left: Good battle between Pohlkamp and Laughton. Good test for the rookie.
7 left: Andre Lee was aggressive on the PK on Celebrini. Celebrini was surprised and lost it, little things that you don't see as much. But seems, understandably, that PK shades toward Celebrini, and it did there. Sharks, among other things, clearly need a clear No. 2 PP option behind Celebrini.
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Kempe goal: Starts with not coming out together, a turnover on a Kesselring pass trying to exit. And then, coverage falls apart, how does Kempe of all people sneak into a soft spot in a defense that is sitting back in a box?
This is bad.
And as I was capturing this screenshot, the Kings scored another.
Lots of times, it's not that you're losing, it's how you're losing.
Whatever gains they might have thought that they made against Calgary, gone now. #SJSharks look rudderless pic.twitter.com/NIgaCvRtwM— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 5, 2026
Byfield goal: San Jose Sharks PK had done a good job of preventing high-danger chances on the kill this year, by my eye test, I know stats don't necessarily agree. But not there.
This looks like this is going to be a long road trip. Hard to keep the positivity up after that period. Sharks seem fragile right now, so fragile. Like first Kempe goal, that happens, but breakdown after breakdown, it's could've been 5-0.
Not calling out Natural Stat Trick, but Sharks up 1.03-0.89 in GSAx. Stats lie haha.
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Period 2
Misa-Celebrini-Smith, Marchment-Graf-Sherwood, Stenberg-Bystedt-Toffoli are your new lines.
Celebrini goal: San Jose Sharks needed that so bad. Double-shifting Celebrini on the power play, he was with second unit there. Right move. If Celebrini healthy, as they say, I know there's consternation about his workload, but he's also their only way out of this. That was an unstoppable shot. Snaps six-game goalless streak.
7 in: Impressive coast-to-coast carry by Pohlkamp. Doesn't lead to anything, but impressive he can do that. Tools are certainly there. For what it's worth, I see this Pohlkamp recall as not quite desperation, but bordering on it. My reports are that Pohlkamp has been good in the AHL, but he's not dominating it. I like to see a guy play really well before the call-up. We'll see, hope Eric acclimates fast. We knew he was probably going to make his NHL debut this season, but this early, no faith in Hajek, Orlov & Cagnoni struggling, this is a concerning statement about their D depth.
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Poor turnover by Misa, along the wall, tries a backhanded loft pass to stretching Celebrini and Smith in NZ. Too easy turnover and counterattack, lucky to not get burned from it. I know they're behind, but who put them behind?
Haula goal: Soft coverage or miscommunication from Misa and Celebrini on Haula in slot. I think Misa was slow there, that was his guy, I think.
6 left: Even the fourth line playing vertical. Goodrow exit pass fails. Then the San Jose Sharks get out on a 3-on-2 with this line (because they're stretching), but nothing doing offensively.
It may be that the Sharks lack the personnel to grind it out or stretch it out (the young stars are too young) right now. That's what it feels like. Just spitballing, but I feel like Warsofsky is trying to get them to play a game, like last year, that helps keep you competitive when Celebrini not on top of it. I don't think the other young stars are ready to freelance and fly like Celebrini can at this level. So I get that, I think he wants something smart for them. But they're not responding. The team wants to fly, but they're not ready for it, and they're going to lose and look bad doing it, in the meanwhile.
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Kempe goal: And it all falls apart. The Askarov and PK wall that kept the Sharks competitive recently, with that gone, 5-on-5 game in tatters, Celebrini off pace, what are you left with?
Period 3
Armia goal: Just establishes position on Orlov. Armia is huge.
Celebrini penalty: The captain is frustrated. Gives Anderson another shot, when the d-man already down, and he's already been whistled.
8 in: They've yanked Stenberg off PP1 in favor of Pohlkamp at the point. I mean, why not?
Stenberg goal: He responds with a PP2 shot that goes off Edmundson's foot.
8 left: Small thing, but for the learning aspect, that's one up high that I'd like Dickinson to get through.
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Surprised Askarov still in, just to spare him.
Byfield goal: Too easy, Byfield only man in front on PP, deflection and in.
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