SAN JOSE – This weekend will be one that San Jose Sharks rookie defenseman Sam Dickinson will remember for the rest of his life.
Dickinson found out on Saturday that he would be remaining in the NHL and not returning to the Ontario Hockey League after playing in his ninth NHL game earlier this week. Then, in his 10th game with the Sharks on Sunday, he scored his first NHL goal, helping his team get its game against the Detroit Red Wings into overtime.
Dickinson scored with 3:05 left in the third period as the Sharks tied the game. But the Sharks could not beat Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot in overtime or the shootout in a 3-2 loss at SAP Center. James van Riemsdyk scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of the shootout.
By having Dickinson in the lineup for a 10th game Sunday, the Sharks burned the first year of his entry-level contract. But that mattered little on Sunday, as the Sharks extended their point streak to three games.
Jeff Skinner also scored, and Nedeljkovic finished with 29 saves as the Sharks finished a four-game homestand with a 2-1-1 record, as they beat the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche after losing to the Los Angeles Kings last Tuesday.
Nedeljkovic made 18 saves in the first two periods but allowed a go-ahead goal to defenseman Moritz Seider at the 10:13 mark of the third period.
The Sharks also allowed the game’s first goal with 1:55 left in the second period. With the Red Wings controlling the puck in the Sharks’ end, Raymond took a pass from defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, created some space, and fired a shot past Nedeljkovic, who was screened on the play.
Jeff Skinner tied the game 1-1 early in the third period as he broke a seven-game goal drought.
The Sharks managed just nine shots on Talbot in the first two periods, as Detroit did a good job of smothering San Jose’s skaters, taking away their time and space.
The Sharks were playing their first game of the season without forward William Eklund, who has been battling a lower-body injury for about a week.
The 23-year-old Eklund had been playing some of the best hockey of his NHL career in recent games as he skated on a line with Alexander Wennberg and Philipp Kurashev. Before Sunday, Eklund was second on the Sharks with 11 points in 12 games and a five-game point streak from Oct. 23-30. Eklund had four goals and five assists.
Skinner moved up to the Sharks’ second line to play with Wennberg and Kurashev as coach Ryan Warsofsky opted to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Before Sunday, Skinner had managed just one assist in his last seven games, and he had just 10:56 in ice time in the Sharks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
Rookie center Michael Misa, who had 10:11 in ice time on Saturday, was scratched on Sunday. With Eklund and Ryan Reaves injured, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky inserted Ethan Cardwell into Sunday’s lineup, as Cardwell played his first NHL game since Dec. 7, 2024.
Reaves was placed on injured reserve earlier Sunday, but he is considered day-to-day with his lower-body injury, although he’ll also have to miss Wednesday’s game in Seattle.
The Sharks are hoping that by giving Eklund the night off on Sunday, combined with Monday’s team day off, he will be better for Tuesday’s practice and potentially ready to play against the Kraken.