It’s been close to four years since the San Jose Sharks opted not to re-sign Joe Pavelski, and the team’s former captain still isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
Pavelski had a goal and two assists, including one on Fredrik Olofsson’s game-winning goal in the second period as the Dallas Stars handed the Sharks a 5-2 loss on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
After a Sharks’ turnover in the neutral zone, Pavelski took a pass from Radek Faksa and fed a streaking Olofsson, who beat Erik Karlsson to the net and tipped the pass past James Reimer for a 3-2 Stars lead at the 10:45 mark of the second period.
Pavelski also had two power-play points in the first period, scoring on a nifty redirection of a Jason Robertson shot as he stood between Matt Benning and Jaycob Megna at the 10:22 mark. He also assisted on Robertson’s power-play goal 2:12 later.
“I got his body and I think I got one of his arms and he was able to one-hand tip it still,” Megna said of Pavelski. “I think it surprised all of us that (Robertson) was able to shoot it that quick. Obviously, I got most of Joe, but you’ve got to get all of him.
“He’s an unbelievable tipper. You’ve got to get his arms and his body at the same time.”
The Sharks also allowed a backbreaking shorthanded goal at the 15:18 mark of the third period, as Roope Hintz scored after a turnover in the neutral zone to give the Stars a 4-2 lead. Esa Lindell added an empty netter with 1:13 to go.
Pavelski now has seven points in six career games against the Sharks, the team with whom he played 963 games over 13 seasons after he was drafted in the seventh round by San Jose in 2003.
Alexander Barabanov and Oskar Lindblom both scored even-strength goals and Reimer made 26 saves for the Sharks, who have now lost three in a row and six of their last seven games. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger had 28 saves.
“We’re going to learn it eventually,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “We’re going to put it all together at some point. I don’t know when that’s going to be. Unfortunately, it wasn’t tonight.
“We certainly continue to make strides but nobody cares about losing a well-fought 5-2 hockey game. That’s not what we’re in the National Hockey League for. So we’re going to keep at it.”
The Sharks actually outshot the Stars 16-12 through two periods during 5-on-5 play, but gave up the two power-play goals and went 0-for-4 with the man advantage
“Our penalty kill’s been great all year and unfortunately gave up two tonight,” Quinn said. “The power play’s been pretty good ever since our 0-5-0 start. They didn’t get it done and that’s really what happened.”
.The Sharks (11-20-7) play the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday night.
“We were casual,” Quinn said of the power play. “We’ll figure that out before we drop the puck (Sunday) night Chicago.”
Karlsson assisted on Barabanov’s goal at the 5:13 mark of the first period, as he extended his point streak to 12 games, tying a franchise record shared by Rob Gaudreau and Jonathan Cheechoo. Gaudreau’s 12-game point streak came in Dec. 1992 and Cheechoo’s lasted from Dec. 2005 to Jan. 2006.
Karlsson has two goals and 17 assists in his career-long 12-game streak.
“It was a solid night for him,” Quinn said of Karlsson. “Listen, the guy’s an elite player and he’s been the best defenseman in the league from the beginning of the season. Everybody’s documented what he means to us. He’s a special player.”
Pavelski’s last season with the Sharks was 2018-19 when he became a restricted free agent. Pavelski, the Sharks’ captain from 2015 to 2019, wanted a three-year contract as his next deal. San Jose was only willing to extend Pavelski, who was about to turn 35, by two years.
Pavelski then signed a three-year deal with the Stars, and entered Saturday with 197 points in 242 regular season games, leading Dallas to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Sharks defenseman Radim Simek was injured midway through the first period, as he ran into Mason Marchment near the Stars’ blue line and fell backward. Simek did not return and Quinn did not have an update on his health after the game.
