SAN JOSE – The Sharks’ three-game homestand ended with a thud Saturday as they allowed two goals in 2:30 early in the third period in a 4-2 loss to the struggling Seattle Kraken before a sold-out crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.
With the Sharks leading 2-1, a shot by Ryker Evans from just inside the blue line fluttered past a screened Yaroslav Askarov to tie the game 1:55 into the third period.
The Sharks then fell behind as Ryan Lindgren’s shot from along the boards in the Sharks’ zone got past Askarov’s blocker for his first goal of the season and a 3-2 Kraken lead with 15:33 left in regulation.
The Sharks were unable to find the equalizer as they blew an opportunity to earn two points against a Kraken team that had just one win in its last 11 games and entered Saturday in last place in the Pacific Division.
Collin Graf and Adam Gaudette both scored, and Askarov finished with 28 saves as the team lost for the third time in six games and ended a three-game homestand with a 1-2-0 record.
The Sharks’ last game before the Christmas break is Tuesday on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights. Their first game after Christmas is next Saturday on the road against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Sharks allowed the game’s first goal at the 6:52 mark of the second period, as it appeared Macklin Celebrini tried to kick a loose puck in the neutral zone back to defenseman Vincent Iorio. Instead, Eeli Tolvanen grabbed the puck and fired it past Askarov for a 1-0 Kraken lead.
The Sharks dominated large swaths of the second period. They capitalized on their third power play of the game to tie the game 1-1, as Gaudette scored his eighth of the season at the 11:22 mark of the second period, knocking a loose puck around the net past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord.
Celebrini, who played on both the first and second power play units, and Igor Chernyshov both assisted on the goal. It was Chernyshov’s third assist in as many NHL games.
Askarov had to make 17 saves in the first period, including one with 1:12 left before intermission. Both defenseman Vincent Iorio and Ryan Reaves drifted to the corner to the right of the Sharks’ net, where Dmitry Orlov was in a puck battle with Kraken forwards Jordan Eberle and Matty Beniers.
That left Kaapo Kakko wide open in front, and Eberle found him with a quick pass. But Askarov was able to blocker away Kaako’s wrist shot from the slot.
Askarov was also able to make three shots on a Kraken power play early in the first period when Reaves was called for holding the stick of Tye Kartye after a neutral zone faceoff.