October 30th 2024.
The San Jose Sharks secured their second consecutive victory on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Kings, with Tyler Toffoli scoring the game-winning goal in the final minutes of the third period. After a rough start to the season with nine consecutive losses, the Sharks were finally able to turn things around and claim their first win at home at SAP Center.
Toffoli's goal, his sixth of the season, came from a perfect pass by Jake Walman, who had also been a key player in the Sharks' previous win against the Utah Hockey Club on Monday. Along with Fabian Zetterlund, William Eklund, and Walman, the Sharks played a strong game against the Kings, with goalie Vitek Vanecek making 26 saves, including 17 in the second period.
The Sharks' first goal came early in the second period when Carl Grundstrom won a faceoff and passed it to Walman, whose shot from the blue line found its way past Kings goalie David Rittich. However, the Kings dominated most of the second period, and the Sharks found themselves killing off three minor penalties, including two bench infractions.
Despite the pressure from the Kings, the Sharks managed to hold them off, thanks in part to Vanecek's strong performance. After Walman's goal, the Sharks went over 13 minutes without a single shot on goal, but they were able to keep the Kings from scoring as well.
The game also marked the NHL debut of Ethan Cardwell, who was called up from the San Jose Barracuda after Ty Dellandrea was placed on injured reserve. Dellandrea, who had sustained an upper-body injury in the previous game against the Vegas Golden Knights, is not expected to be out for long-term but will miss at least the next two games.
Cardwell, who had an impressive training camp and five points in six games for the Barracuda this season, was excited to finally make his NHL debut. He and fellow Sharks newcomer Jack Thompson, who were childhood friends and grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL together, joined forces on the ice for the first time.
Thompson, who was acquired by the Sharks in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning last March, was thrilled to be playing with Cardwell again after years of playing minor hockey together in their hometown of Courtice, Ontario. The two even rode to the rink together as roommates, unable to contain their excitement at finally playing on the same team in the NHL.
As they stepped onto the ice, Cardwell couldn't help but reflect on the support and love for hockey in their small town, which had brought them together as friends and teammates all those years ago. And now, they were living out their childhood dreams together in the big leagues.
The San Jose Sharks were on a roll, winning their second consecutive game after a rough start to the season. Tyler Toffoli's game-winning goal with 8:58 left in regulation time sealed the deal for the Sharks, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 on Tuesday. It was their first victory at SAP Center, and the team was buzzing with excitement.
Toffoli's goal was a thing of beauty, as he received a pass from Jake Walman and expertly maneuvered past Kings goalie David Rittich for his sixth goal of the season. The Sharks' other goals came from Fabian Zetterlund, William Eklund, and Walman, who was on fire after scoring three points against the Utah Hockey Club the previous day.
The Sharks' goalie Vitek Vanecek was also in top form, making 26 saves and single-handedly shutting down the Kings' offense in the second period. The Sharks' homestand continued on Thursday as they faced off against the Chicago Blackhawks, led by the talented Connor Bedard.
The Sharks' first goal of the game was a result of a fantastic play by Carl Grundstrom, who won a faceoff and passed it back to Walman. The shot from just inside the blue line found its way past Rittich, giving the Sharks the early lead. However, the Kings dominated most of the second period, and the Sharks found themselves under pressure, taking three minor penalties.
But the Sharks' defense was strong, and they managed to kill off all the penalties, thanks to some incredible saves by Vanecek. However, they were outshot 19-6 in the middle frame, and it wasn't until Mikael Granlund's breakaway chance in the final minutes that they managed to get another shot on net.
The game also marked the NHL debut of forward Ethan Cardwell, who was called up from the San Jose Barracuda after Ty Dellandrea was placed on injured reserve. Dellandrea was sidelined with an upper-body injury sustained in the Sharks' previous game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Cardwell had an impressive training camp and was expected to make an impact.
Cardwell had 7:10 of ice time in the first two periods, and he and the Sharks were able to successfully kill off five minor penalties. The game wasn't without its challenges, as midway through the second period, Cardwell missed a golden opportunity to score on a 3-on-1 rush.
Despite the missed opportunity, Cardwell was elated to be playing in the NHL, especially alongside his childhood friend Jack Thompson. The two grew up playing hockey together in Ontario and had always dreamed of making it to the NHL together. That dream became a reality when the Sharks acquired Thompson from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade last March.
Thompson and Cardwell were now roommates and rode to the rink together for the first time as NHL teammates. It was a surreal experience for both of them, and they couldn't believe that they were living out their childhood dream. Hockey was a way of life in their hometown, and they were proud to represent their community on the big stage.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
