The San Jose Sharks took on the Colorado Avalanche to start the final day of the 2024 Rookie Faceoff. With Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Collin Graf, and Ethan Cardwell among the scratches, John McCarthy had an interesting selection of players at his disposal. As a result, he went with ten forwards and eight defensemen, which was certainly going to be an interesting strategy to watch. Meanwhile, the Avalanche went with a pretty standard lineup that combined lines from each of their previous games.
Considering the Sharks were playing their second game in less than 20 hours, I expected them to shelter the likes of Quentin Musty and Sam Dickinson, but that definitely was not what they had in mind. Between the pipes, Dawson Cowan got the start for the Sharks. On Sunday morning, McCarthy said the initial plan for San Jose was to get each goalie a game, and that was able to be accomplished. Meanwhile, Adam Scheel got the nod for the Avalanche.
The Avalanche took the lead with 11:32 remaining in the first, the goal came off the stick of their captain for the night, Matt Stienburg. Cowan nearly was able to stretch across the crease to make the save, but it was just out of his reach. Benjamin Brunelle slipped one past the Sharks’ goaltender less than 40 seconds later, increasing Colorado’s lead to 2-0. This would typically be the type of situation where a player like Celebrini or Smith would step up and bring their team back into the game. With them sitting in the bleachers though, it was a great opportunity for someone else to make their mark. It didn’t take long for that to happen either, as the Sharks got one back with 9:15 remaining in the period when Finnish defenseman Valtteri Pulli scored his first of the tournament.
The biggest scrum of the night so far happened when Stienburg crashed the net too hard and collided with Cowan, causing the Sharks to respond. Cowan got back to his feet quickly and seemed no worse for wear though. He made a big save on Ondrej Pavel who was able to sneak past Luca Cagnoni for a breakaway, keeping it a 2-1 hockey game. Scrums and breakaways became the theme of the second half of the first period, Colorado kept crashing the net and getting past the defense, only to be denied by Cowan. He made two massive saves with just under 30 seconds left in the period as well. Right as time expired, Musty and Mitch Young got into a scuffle and both got roughing penalties heading into the second period.
Kasper Halttunen took his third penalty of the game about four minutes into the period. Roughly two minutes later, Nolan Burke tied it up after Scheel was well out of position. Burke was tripped up by the Colorado defender but shot the puck into the empty net while falling to score a short-handed goal. The Sharks then finished killing off the penalty. At one point, they got an extended 5-on-3 after the Avalanche took two penalties in quick succession.
While the Sharks were setting up in their zone, Scheel kicked the net off, allowing his team to regroup. It’s worth noting though, that wasn’t the first time that happened over the course of the game and it seemed as if there was an issue with the pegs when he kicked off, rather than being intentional. Luke Grainger, who was getting a much bigger role in this game, gave the Sharks the lead with 9:25 left in the second period. Since it was during the 5-on-3, they still had 45 seconds left on the power play as well. Burke nearly extended the lead about 30 seconds later, but wasn’t able to get enough behind the shot.
Grainger scored his second of the night while Lucas Vanroboys and an Avalanche defender were tangled up in the crease making it difficult for Scheel to do his job. The Sharks quickly went from trailing 2-0 to leading 4-2. Grainger nearly completed the natural hat trick when he found himself all alone in front of the net, but Scheel made the save.
Less than two minutes into the third period, the Sharks scored on a 5-on-3 power play once again. This time Filip Bystedt scored his first of the tournament to make it 5-2 for the Sharks, their fifth straight unanswered goal. With 8:39 left in the game, Keaton Mastrodonato got one back for the Avalanche. Momentum wouldn’t be on their side for long though, as Halttunen scored to make it 6-3 before the public address announcer could even announce Colorado’s goal. Despite some late pressure by the Avalanche, they wouldn’t be able to add another goal and the Sharks won 6-3.
Discipline Needs to Improve on Both Sides
The Sharks struggled with discipline, pretty much ever since Colorado took the lead. Halttunen was one player in the middle of all of it, taking three penalties in the first half of the game. Once the game got more physical and Colorado found themselves trailing, roles were reversed and the Avalanche were taking an increased number of penalties. As tempers started to flare, it started to seem like the game was mostly spent with one team or the other being shorthanded. While penalties are to be expected at an increased rate in rookie tournaments, this seemed like an issue that the respective coaches will need to address.
Pulli Is One to Watch
Last season with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League, Pulli was adjusting to the North American game and struggled a bit as a result, especially early in the season. Now, he looks much more comfortable and he says he feels quite a bit more comfortable as well. With his large frame, he currently stands at 6-foot-5, he can take up quite a bit of space in the defensive zone and now he’s starting to show his willingness to chip in offensively as well. While I’d be very surprised if he finds a way to make the Sharks’ roster out of camp, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him get a game or two around the midway point of the season.
Grainger Making His Mark
Heading into the Rookie Faceoff, Grainger was a name most were likely not familiar with. Now, he’s a player to keep an eye on heading into training camp. With that being said, he’s not going to be competing for a spot in the NHL by any means but he’s currently on an amateur tryout with the Barracuda and it seems like he could earn a spot in the AHL. The Barracuda need to take a massive step forward this season, as the Sharks organization can’t afford to have both their NHL and AHL teams near the bottom of the league again. Grainger could help them reach that goal.
Related: Sharks’ Ethan Cardwell Optimistic Heading into Rookie Faceoff
The Sharks were truly unbeatable at the Rookie Faceoff this season. It didn’t matter who they put in their lineup, or apparently, even if they ran with eight defensemen. No matter what hand McCarthy was dealt by the Sharks’ management, they found a way to win and the last two games were decisive. For Colorado though, they’re a team who weren’t really highly regarded heading into the tournament. They’ve been Stanley Cup contenders for quite a while now, so the prospect pool has taken a hit. As a result, it’s difficult to look too much into their results over the weekend.
