SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks created more than enough scoring chances to beat the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.
But the Sharks couldn’t overcome a handful of their own misdeeds.
The Sharks rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie the game in the third period, but Adam Gaudette scored with 4:12 left in regulation time to help give the Senators a 4-3 win before an announced crowd of 10,778 at SAP Center.
The Senators took advantage of a Sharks turnover in the neutral zone for the winning goal. After the puck entered the San Jose end, Gaudette, with the game tied 3-3, redirected a Tim Stützle pass past goalie Mackenzie Blackwood for his second of the night.
The Sharks probably deserved a better fate, but despite some better play in recent weeks, are not yet in a position to overcome puck mismanagement.
“Big mistakes cost us the game,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said.
The Sharks outshot Ottawa 38-11, as Gaudette’s goal was the Senators’ only official shot over the final 20 minutes. The result marked the first time in franchise history that the Sharks gave up 11 or fewer shots in a loss.
Will Smith had a goal and an assist, and Mario Ferraro and Macklin Celebrini also scored as the Sharks lost in regulation for the third time in five games.
“I mean, that’s been our identity all year, the game is never over,” Smith said. “Look at the shots. We had a bunch of chances that we could have buried. I thought we played a good game.”
“Results were (poor),” Warsofsky said. “We played some good hockey, got to be smarter in some scenarios, which we’re learning. A frustrating night.”
Aside from perhaps one goal against Wednesday, Warsofsky didn’t fault Blackwood for the loss, which dropped San Jose’s 4-6-3 this month. Rather, the obvious culprit was the dicey puck management.
“Our defensive zone (play) has been pretty solid all year. It’s more of our puck play,” Warsofsky said. “Whether that’s a turnover, not executing on our breakouts, or neutral zone transition; that’s why we get back in our D zone. That’s why we give up these odd-man rushes.
“It’s not because we’re losing F3, it’s not because we’re lost in the D-zone, it’s our puck play, and we have to continue to harp on it and work on it and get better at it, individually and collectively.”
The Sharks allowed two goals on four shots in the first period, but Ferraro’s goal — his first of the season — at the 9:19 mark of the second period cut Ottawa’s lead to 2-1.
But after a Sharks turnover in their zone, defenseman Tyler Kleven’s slapshot found the five-hole between Blackwood’s pads as Ottawa took a 3-1 lead at the 15:22 mark. It was Kleven’s first NHL goal.
“It’s tough to win, obviously,” said Sharks forward Luke Kunin. “We know that you’ve got to find ways to win these kinds of hockey games, learn from it and not let it happen.”
Blackwood made only seven saves as the Sharks failed to build upon their 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. The Sharks close out November with a home-and-home series against the Seattle Kraken on Friday and Saturday.
The Sharks outshot the Senators 12-4 but trailed 2-0 after the first period.
Before the game’s first goal, Sharks defenseman Jake Walman lifted the puck out of his zone to the Ottawa blue line. But it quickly returned to the San Jose end as Stützle raced toward the Sharks’ net before passing to Gaudette, who directed it past Blackwood for a 1-0 Senators lead at 4:35.
The Senators took a two-goal lead on a Norris power-play goal. After a failed clearing attempt and a turnover by the Sharks, Stützle sent a pass ahead to Drake Batherson, who fed an open Norris in front for his ninth of the season.
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