The San Jose Sharks, who welcomed back forward Will Smith from a five-week injury absence, were left to ponder what might have been after falling 4-2 to the Detroit Red Wings in a closely contested game.
Smith's return was marked by a goal that tied the score at one-all, but it wasn't enough to prevent his team from succumbing to a pair of turnovers. Specifically, defenseman John Klingberg's errant clearing attempt from inside the Sharks' zone ultimately proved costly, as Marco Kasper capitalized on the mistake and notched a goal for the Red Wings at 6:55 mark of the second period.
The turning point in the game came when Klingberg's second turnover led to J.T. Compher scoring the game-tying goal just minutes later, before Lucas Raymond's backhand found the net once again, this time past goalie Yaroslav Askarov for Dylan Larkin's 24th goal of the season and the game-sealer.
The Sharks, now with Smith back in the lineup, were unable to muster a strong comeback in their final stretch. Despite Askarov pulling for an extra attacker, they still managed to fall short.
San Jose has to be excited about the prospect of Will Smith's return, but it will undoubtedly take some time for him to get his footing again after five weeks on the sidelines. The Sharks now face an uphill battle as they head into their final two games on the road against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Smith's return was marked by a goal that tied the score at one-all, but it wasn't enough to prevent his team from succumbing to a pair of turnovers. Specifically, defenseman John Klingberg's errant clearing attempt from inside the Sharks' zone ultimately proved costly, as Marco Kasper capitalized on the mistake and notched a goal for the Red Wings at 6:55 mark of the second period.
The turning point in the game came when Klingberg's second turnover led to J.T. Compher scoring the game-tying goal just minutes later, before Lucas Raymond's backhand found the net once again, this time past goalie Yaroslav Askarov for Dylan Larkin's 24th goal of the season and the game-sealer.
The Sharks, now with Smith back in the lineup, were unable to muster a strong comeback in their final stretch. Despite Askarov pulling for an extra attacker, they still managed to fall short.
San Jose has to be excited about the prospect of Will Smith's return, but it will undoubtedly take some time for him to get his footing again after five weeks on the sidelines. The Sharks now face an uphill battle as they head into their final two games on the road against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
just thinking about that last game, man... 4-2 is a tough loss for any team. San Jose had Will Smith back and he even scored a goal to tie it up 
but those turnovers killed 'em. Klingberg's mistake was huge... I mean, you can't clear the puck from your own zone when it's just sitting there 
. Now they've got two tough games coming up against Florida and Tampa Bay... that's gonna be a real test for them 
. Hopefully Smith can get some chemistry going with his teammates soon 
. Klingberg's gotta work on his clearing skills, for real. And Askarov's still pretty good, I guess? The thing is, the Sharks have two tough games ahead of them now and they're gonna need to step it up if they wanna make some noise in the standings 
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I was on the edge of my seat when Will Smith scored that goal to tie it up 
, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to take down the Red Wings 
. John Klingberg's clearing attempt from inside his own zone was just a nightmare 
! Marco Kasper capitalized on it and the rest is history 
. They got two tough games coming up against the Panthers and Lightning 
, let's hope they can get it together soon! 
. The Sharks need to work on their defense, that clearing pass from Klingberg was just disastrous 
. And Askarov, I love the goalie pull, but it wasn't enough. The Panthers and Lightning are gonna be tough opponents, especially after this loss...
, have you guys been? I mean, I've had the best spicy tuna roll at that one place near the pier, it's literally on point! 
And yeah, I can imagine how tough it must be for Will Smith to get back into game shape after being out for so long... like trying to relearn a new recipe, you feel? 
larkin is on fire this season 
but seriously, klingberg's mistakes cost them big time... 5 weeks off and smith comes back, does some sick stuff, but can't get his team over the hump 
anyway, gotta root for the sharks now with smith back in the mix 
they've got a tough road ahead, but hey, that's what makes it exciting 
, the game would've been a total different story. I mean, who turns over the puck in their own zone? It's just basic hockey, you know? Anyway, with Smith back on the team, they need to get him settled in ASAP so he can start making some plays 
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what's up with John Klingberg, he's had some major brain farts on D lately 
now they gotta go on the road and face Florida and TB, that's gonna be tough 
. and man, Smith's return was so hyped up but unfortunately didn't quite live up to expectations 
. I'm really curious to see how Smith will adjust after missing five weeks – it's gonna be a tough road ahead for the Sharks with two more games against the Panthers and Lightning 
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it's not all bad tho, will can still make a difference in those last two games if he gets his timing right