Sharks Doomed by First 2 Periods in Loss to Blackhawks – The Hockey Writers – San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks suffered a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday (Oct. 17), a disappointing result considering that they already turned in stronger performances against better teams this season. Although they improved as the game went on, they fell behind early and were unable to overcome their struggles from the first two periods. Many of the patterns that emerged during the game showed the struggles the Sharks have had, both early this season and in recent past seasons. Throughout the rest of the 2024-25 campaign, these will be key storylines to watch.

Sharks Suffer From Early Lack of Offensive Zone Time

The Sharks trailed 3-0 less than a minute into the second period for a very simple reason: the Blackhawks were spending time in their offensive zone, and the Sharks weren’t. The Blackhawks’ offensive possessions consisted of sustained pressure and multiple shots, while the Sharks’ usually lasted one shot at best before Chicago regained control and pushed the puck up the ice.

San Jose actually had stronger Corsi and Fenwick numbers in the final period. But their first period, in which neither figure reached 30 percent, was so lopsided against them that it created a near-insurmountable deficit. The second period was more balanced but still gave the Blackhawks an advantage. The third period finally saw the Sharks dominate the pace as they made a final comeback attempt and controlled the puck about 70 percent of the time, but was ultimately too little too late.

The Sharks can’t afford to fall behind early, which they did against the Blackhawks. And they certainly can’t compound this mistake by beating themselves with unforced errors, which brings us to a second major problem San Jose faced in the game.

Sharks Lose Special Teams Battle

It’s difficult to control the game if you’re constantly playing shorthanded. The Sharks committed seven penalties and put themselves in five-on-three situations on two separate occasions. The Blackhawks scored twice on the power play and added another goal while playing four-on-four. The Sharks, meanwhile, were largely ineffective on their opportunities, managing no goals and just two shots on three power plays, though they did score during a delayed penalty.

Related: Takeaways From Sharks’ 5-4 Loss to the Blues

The incessant penalties obviously allowed the Blackhawks to build and maintain…