Sluggish start dooms Sharks in preseason loss to Ducks

Jonny Brodzinski scores and Aaron Dell makes 33 saves as the San Jose Sharks fall to 0-4 on the preseason

SAN JOSE — The Sharks fell behind by three goals by the 1:10 mark of the second period and never fully recovered in a 4-1 road loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

In what was likely the final chance for many of their roster hopefuls to audition for jobs, the Sharks allowed goals by Andreas Martinsen and Jakob Silfverberg in the first period and another by Brendan Guhle just 70 seconds into the second period as the Ducks took a 3-0 lead.

With the teams playing 4-on-4, Jonny Brodzinski scored his first goal of the preseason off a nifty assist from Dylan Gambrell with 54 seconds left in the second period for the Sharks’ only goal.

Derek Grant scored an empty-net goal with 21.8 seconds left in regulation time to seal the win for Anaheim. Goalie John Gibson made 31 saves in the win.

Goalie Aaron Dell played all 60 minutes and stopped 33 of 36 shots as the Sharks fell to 0-4 on the preseason.

Sharks defenseman Dalton Prout, one of those players looking to secure an NHL position, received a five-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct at the 17:18 mark of the second period.

As Anaheim defenseman Josh Mahura tried to skate with the puck along the boards near the Sharks blue line, Prout stepped into him with his shoulder but also caught Mahura’s right leg with his own. Just 33 seconds later, Ducks winger Max Jones was called for high sticking Jake Middleton to set up the 4-on-4.

Forward Jeffrey Viel and Anaheim’s Sam Carrick fought at the 17:08 mark of the first period with the Sharks down by two goals. The two teams combined for 51 penalty minutes.

The Sharks’ roster was light on NHL experience as eight players who were recalled from the Barracuda’s training camp Tuesday morning dressed for the game. Those players were originally reassigned to the AHL on Monday.

Others who played Tuesday that are in competition for jobs with the Sharks include Middleton and Mario Ferraro on defense, and forwards Brodzinski, Gambrell, Antti Suomela and Alex True.

Tuesday’s game may have been the last chance for those players to get extended ice time in the preseason.

For the Sharks’ final two exhibition games — Thursday at home against Calgary and Sunday on the road against Vegas — coach Pete DeBoer has said he wants to dress a regular-season type roster to get ready for the Oct. 2 opener against the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.