Andrei Kuzmenko scored two goals for the Vancouver Canucks, and Mario Ferraro had three assists for the San Jose Sharks as the Canucks gave the Sharks their fifth straight loss 7-4.
Andrei Kuzmenko scored two goals for the Vancouver Canucks, and Mario Ferraro had three assists for the San Jose Sharks as the Canucks gave the Sharks their fifth straight loss 7-4 on Saturday night.
Kuzmenko has been a healthy scratch for Vancouver and returned to the lineup with a terrific game. Nils Aman, Sam Lafferty, Dakota Joshua, Pius Suter, and Quinn Hughes scored the other goals for Vancouver. Thatcher Demko made 21 saves.
Tomas Hertl scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season for San Jose. Mikael Granlund, Fabian Zetterlund, and Jacob MacDonald scored the other goals for the Sharks. Mackenzie Blackwood got the start and made 19 saves.
"Our net front coverage was missing. Too often, the goals come too easy. We were soft, and puck management wasn't great," Sharks head coach David Quinn said. "But we had a chance. We need to realize how close we are to winning."
Mario Ferraro had a career-high three-assist night but felt that there were a few things he could clean up in his game.
"I felt good offensively, but I could've done better in the D-zone," Ferraro said. "I have to take care of my own end first. There are things I need to be better at."
"I love everything about Ferraro's game," Quinn said. "On offense, on when to get involved, his mentality. This is the best hockey he's played."
Kuzmenko scored the first two goals of the game, with the first coming just 1:34 into the first.
His second goal came at the 6:51 mark of the first period. It was his eighth goal of the season.
Granlund responded with a deft deflection in front.
Hertl joined the fun with a goal 2:50 after Granlund.
The Canucks got two goals 2:33 apart.
Ferraro got his third assist on Zetterlund's ninth goal of the season. This might be the prettiest assist of Ferraro's career.
Joshua drove the front of the net and awaited a beautiful Conor Garland pass. Blackwood stood no chance to make this save. Joshua now has five goals in his last six games.
The late-life Sharks have come out to play as Jacob MacDonald scores his sixth goal of the year with 6:44 left in the third.
Pius Suter somehow gets a deflection in front of the net to give the Canucks their two-goal lead back.
Hughes added his tenth goal of the season with an empty net goal.
Make sure you bookmark THN's San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
- Follow Max on Twitter: @Real_Max_Miller
The Hockey News