San Jose Sharks end road trip with 6-4 loss to Boston Bruins

The San Jose Sharks concluded their six-game road trip with a 6-4 loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden, according to mercurynews.com. The Sharks led by one goal in the third period but allowed three consecutive goals, resulting in the defeat before a sold-out crowd of 17,850.

Dmitry Orlov scored a power-play goal to give the Sharks a lead with nearly 16 minutes left, but defensive struggles around the net contributed to the Bruins scoring four of their first five goals near the crease. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky noted the team's issues defending in front of their own net during the third period, which has been a recurring problem for the team.

The Sharks finished the road trip with a 3-2-1 record but continue to struggle in the third period, having allowed 17 goals and scored only 10 in the final 20 minutes of regulation before this game. Forward Will Smith emphasized the need for better defense and maintaining pressure when leading.

Injuries also affected the Sharks during the trip. Winger Igor Chernyshov sustained an upper-body injury earlier in the week and returned to San Jose for evaluation, as reported by eastbaytimes.com. Chernyshov, who was playing on the top line, is considered week-to-week. Center Alexander Wennberg also suffered an upper-body injury and is similarly week-to-week.

To compensate for these absences, the Sharks adjusted their forward lines, with Collin Graf replacing Chernyshov on the top line and Adam Gaudette making his season debut after recovering from injury, according to eastbaytimes.com. The team will look to improve their third-period performance as they return home from the road trip.