SAN JOSE — The smallest announced crowd of the season for an NHL game at SAP Center saw the Sharks’ modest three-game win streak come to an end.
The Sharks allowed second period goals to Alex Galchenyuk and Zach Parise and despite all kinds of pressure in the third period, couldn’t muster enough offense at the other end in a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
Forward Stefan Noesen scored in the first period and Joe Thornton scored at the 9:08 mark of the third period to cut Minnesota’s lead to 3-2. But former Sharks goalie Alex Stalock finished with 40 saves — including 19 in the third period — as the Wild won for the fifth time in six games to continue their push for a playoff spot.
“If we had five more minutes on the clock,” Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said, “I believe we would have tied the game up. But you’ve got to push hard for that first goal that you need.”
With the victory, Minnesota leapfrogged four teams — Vancouver, Nashville, Winnipeg and Arizona, — to move into the first wild card spot in the Western Conference with 75 points. The Canucks, Predators, Jets and Coyotes all have 74 points.
Ryan Suter also scored for the Wild, as Sharks goalie Martin Jones allowed three goals on 24 shots in the first two periods. Jones had backstopped the Sharks to wins over New Jersey, Pittsburgh and Toronto to start their six-game homestand.
The Sharks (29-34-4) announced that 14,517 tickets had been distributed for Thursday’s game, although the number of actual spectators in the seats looked smaller than that. The previous low this season was 15,117 on Nov. 1 when the Sharks faced the Winnipeg Jets. Seating capacity for hockey games at the arena is 17,562.
“The fans that were here were loud, and they were into the game and energized, and that’s all you ask,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said. “It’s tough to sell out buildings if you’re having a down year, and that’s what we’re having. So, the fans that come, they were great tonight. They were energized.
“We felt that they were there. That’s all you can ask as players.”
Thursday, public health officials from Santa Clara County announced the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County had reached 20. They called for new measures to prevent the virus from circulating in the community, including canceling large gatherings like sporting events.
At 4 p.m. Thursday, Sharks Sports & Entertainment announced that the game would go on as scheduled. In a news release, the organization said it was “aware of the recommendations made today by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and we continue to actively monitor the situation.”
The team also said it would evaluate further upcoming events in the coming days. The Sharks host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. Also, the San Jose Barracuda are scheduled to play games at the arena Friday and Saturday.
The Sharks went about their business before Thursday’s game as they would before any game.
“We were just concentrating on when the puck drops, so it’s out of out of our control,” Boughner said. “It didn’t affect anything.”
It’s unclear, though, whether Thursday’s diminished attendance was altogether because of the county’s announcement or fears of the virus. Thursday’s game was the sixth time this season that fewer than 16,000 tickets had been distributed, although the last one was Dec. 2 when 15,762 tickets were distributed for the Sharks’ game with the Washington Capitals.
The Sharks are also well out of a playoff spot, as they enter Friday in 13th place in the Western Conference.
Jones made 11 saves in the first period and Stalock has 13 as the Sharks and Wild were tied 1-1 after the first period.
Ryan Suter gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at the 8:34 mark, as his slap shot from just inside the blue line got past a partially screened Jones. At the 14:40 mark, the Sharks second power play unit struck to tie the game, as Noesen tipped a shot from Noah Gregor past Stalock.