Yaroslav Askarov shines, but Sharks take too many penalties in loss to Devils

Goalie Yaroslav Askarov had his best game of the season Friday, but the San Jose Sharks could not stay out of the penalty box in a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

The Sharks were on the penalty kill five times in the first two periods and allowed two power play goals to Dougie Hamilton in the second period, with the second goal giving the Devils a 2-1 lead at the 9:08 mark.

Askarov finished with 27 saves, but the Sharks lost for the seventh time in eight games and fell to 1-2-0 on this four-game road trip that ends Sunday against the Minnesota Wild.

Devils goaltender Jake Allen finished with 16 saves, including 10 in the third period when the Sharks pressed for the equalizer. Adam Gaudette’s chance from point-blank range midway through the period was stopped by Allen, who also denied Collin Graf’s shot on a breakaway.

The Sharks (1-5-2) pulled Askarov with just over two minutes left in the third period for the extra skater, and managed a shot on goal by Celebrini, before Connor Brown scored an empty net goal with 47 seconds left to seal the Devils’ win.

William Eklund scored an even-strength goal in the first period for a 1-0 Sharks lead. But the Sharks also had two goals called back, one for a high stick on Philipp Kurashev in the first period and another in the second period after Alexander Wennberg was determined to be offside following a Devils challenge, nullifying a Jeff Skinner goal.

The Sharks took three penalties in the second period when they were outshot 12-0. It marked the fifth time in franchise history, and the second time this month, that San Jose has been held without a shot in a period. It also happened in the Sharks’ 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 14, when San Jose was outshot 10-0.

The Sharks opened the scoring with a power play goal at the 2:25 mark of the first period.

Dmitry Orlov helped create a Devils turnover in the neutral to start a Sharks rush the other way. In the Devils’ zone, Macklin Celebrini, 19, directed it ahead to Eklund, who quickly snapped a shot past goalie Jake Allen for his second goal of the season.

It was the ninth straight goal in which a Sharks teenager has earned a point — the third-longest such streak in NHL history. Celebrini was coming off a five-point game against the New York Rangers on Thursday, which included an assist on Smith’s overtime winner that gave San Jose a 6-5 victory.

Michael Misa, 18, also had an assist in that game. Celebrini also scored the Sharks’ final goal in their 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday, and Misa assisted on Gaudette’s first-period goal that tied the game 2-2.

Askarov made eight saves in the first period, with four of them coming during the Devils’ power plays. His biggest save came midway through the first, as Dawson Mercer, stationed to Askarov’s right, sent a pass to the middle of the ice that was redirected slightly by Jack Hughes to Nico Hischier, whose one-timer was stopped by a sliding Askarov.

Askarov, 23, came into Friday with a 0-2-1 record and an .838 save percentage through his first three games. Friday, though, only marked Askarov’s 20th NHL game, and Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky preached perspective.

“He’s right up there with (Celebrini and Smith) as a young player in this league that’s learning what we’re asking,” Warsofsky said. “I think maybe it’s the outside perspective that needs to carry the world on his shoulders, and he’s probably feeling that pressure a little bit.

“He’s hitting a little speed bump early in his NHL career. The world’s not coming to an end. He’s going to be just fine. He’s an extremely talented goaltender. We’ve got to work on some things technically, but we still have (a lot) confidence in this young man.”

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LEDDY OUT

Defenseman Nick Leddy is out indefinitely after he sustained an upper-body injury in the first period of the team’s game against the Rangers.

Leddy was injured on a hit by Rangers forward Will Cuylle behind the Sharks’ net just over three minutes into the game at Madison Square Garden. Leddy left the ice shortly afterward, went back to the Sharks’ dressing room, and did not return.

Warsofsky said Leddy will be reevaluated after the team returns to San Jose following Sunday’s game, adding that he was not “totally sure” whether the veteran defenseman would be out long term. The Sharks face the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday to begin a four-game homestand.

DICKINSON RETURNS

Without Leddy, Warsofsky reinserted Sam Dickinson, the team’s only other healthy defenseman, into the lineup for Friday’s game. The Sharks are only carrying six healthy defensemen right now as John Klingberg remains out with a lower-body injury, and Shakir Mukhamadullin (upper body) will be on injured reserve until at least early next week.

Warsofsky said there’s a chance Klingberg, who was injured in the Sharks’ game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 14, could return for Sunday’s game. It’s unknown when Mukhamadullin might return.