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BOSTON — The excitement of Gus Nyquist’s Sharks debut quickly turned to angst as Erik Karlsson appeared to re-tweak a groin injury that forced him to miss 10 games recently.
With Karlsson’s health in question, the Boston Bruins scored three second period goals, propelling them to a 4-1 win that extended the team’s point streak to 14 games.
With the loss, the Sharks now trail the Calgary Flames by five points for first place in the Pacific Division.
Karlsson initially left the game at 4:42 of the second after his left leg got stretched out as he attempted a lateral move to defend Charlie McAvoy, who got the puck in the left circle. He appeared to be in pain as skated off the ice without putting any pressure on his left leg.
The two-time Norris Trophy winner then returned at 11:40 of the second, finishing the period before he sat out for the entirety of the third.
Karlsson appeared to be nursing an injury throughout the final 8:20 of the second. Brad Marchand danced around him on the Bruins fourth goal at 12:28. He also allowed a Bruins forward to blow by him through the neutral zone, leading to an odd-man rush, and he skated off the ice again without putting pressure on his left leg after he got into a collision at the blue line.
As the Sharks left the bench for the second intermission, Karlsson was walking with a noticeable limp.
Karlsson rejoined the Sharks lineup on Tuesday after missing Sunday’s game in Detroit because he re-aggravated his groin injury during Saturday’s game in Columbus. After the Sharks morning practice, head coach Pete DeBoer said the decision on whether Karlsson would play would be left in the defenseman’s hands.
Logan Couture opened the scoring at 12:47 of the first, stuffing the puck in at the side of the net after the Bruins turned the puck over below the goal line on a Sharks power play.
The Bruins responded with a power play goal of their own, their third in two meetings with the Sharks, at 14:39 of the opening frame, capitalizing on a Timo Meier’s double-minor penalty for high sticking. David Krejci tied the game at 1-1 by one-timing a pass from Torey Krug in the left circle just nine seconds into the penalty.
The Bruins blew the game wide-open in the second, scoring a trio of goals to take a commanding 4-1 lead.
McAvoy scored first at 9:09, taking advantage of an ill-timed Brent Burns pinch in the neutral zone. Then, Jake DeBrusk made it 3-1 just 37 seconds later, scoring off an odd-man rush after Joe Pavelski turned the puck over in the neutral zone. Brad Marchand capped off the second period goal parade at 12:28 of the frame.
The Sharks will return to action at SAP Center on Friday, opening up a four-game homestand against the Colorado Avalanche.
