The Sharks continued their preseason tour hosting the Utah Hockey Club at SAP Center on Tuesday night. Though the final score ended as a 3-1 defeat for the home squad, the game marked another important step for the players and team to get ready for the start of the regular season.
After a scoreless first period, the Sharks broke through midway through the second. Defenseman Matt Benning found the back of the net at 12:33, capitalizing on assists from William Eklund and Andrew Poturalski. The goal, scored at even strength, briefly gave the Sharks momentum as they pushed to build their lead.
However, Utah responded just before the second period ended. Gifted a power-play opportunity, Sean Durzi tied things up with just 11 seconds remaining. Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stood tall, turning aside all but one of the game-high twelve shots faced in the middle frame.
In the third period, Kailer Yamamoto emerged as the hero for Utah, netting two goals at 6:23 and 17:38, respectively. Despite the Sharks efforts, they couldn’t break through Utah goaltender Connor Ingram, who finished the game with 19 saves.
The Sharks will use the final two preseason games as an opportunity to experiment with line combinations and tune in their system of play before the regular season begins. Up next is the preseason home finale on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. And after this weekend, the lineup will be set and the boys in Teal will play for real against a visiting St. Louis Blues in the Home Opener on Thursday, Oct. 10. Don’t miss seeing a young core emerge and unforgettable action by securing your seats today at sjsharks.com/tickets.
