It’s at the point now where any time Marcus Sorensen has the puck, you expect him to score a goal.
If the puck lands on his stick, he’s either going to set up Joe Thornton or find the back of the net himself. Maybe even knock an opposing skater out of his path in the process. When Sabres netminder Carter Hutton robbed Sorensen of a goal in the first period of San Jose’s 3-2 overtime loss in Buffalo, nobody believed he halted Sorensen from opening up the scoring.
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SIGN UP HERE That’s because through the Sharks ups and downs this season, one constant is that Sorensen’s level of play has trended upward at an astounding rate. He’s fast, he’s physical, and he adds depth to the Sharks’ forward attack on a nightly basis.
The Swedish forward first grabbed attention when he had a successful training camp, spending preseason time playing up at the big level with members of the Barracuda. (An elusive tip-in tally he scored against the Anaheim Ducks on September 20 comes to mind.)
He then showed some sparks early in the season, although he was largely placed on San Jose’s fourth line, which has shifted and changed a fair amount through 20-plus games.
But it was when Thornton returned from injury and was placed on a line with Sorensen and Kevin Labanc that No. 20’s game really took on a new look. Through 25 games he has registered 10 points (four goals, six assists) which is already a step above what he did for the Sharks in 32 games last season (five goals, two assists.)
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As a staple on what has become the Sharks’ third line, Sorensen continues to mix his speed with a high level of physicality. Every night surely causes defenses to throw a fit. Not to mention challenging some of the toughest goaltenders in the league.
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That's what made watching Hutton freeze Sorensen twice in the Sharks-Buffalo matchup so brutal. The first chance occurred in the waning minutes of the first stanza as Hutton was squared up to defend against a shot from Thornton. No. 19 instead served the puck to linemate Sorensen on the other side of the net, who immediately took his shot.
Hutton was a magician, moving swiftly to square up and rob Sorensen with his glove. As the play stopped, the cameras caught Sorensen looking up into the rafters, clearly miffed by Hutton’s save.
Not that the save stopped Sorensen from charging at the net again in the second period. Nor is it likely going to slow him down as the Sharks continue on their road trip through the East Coast. Having a skater like Marcus Sorensen in the mix adds another dimension to San Jose’s offense that gives them more opportunities.