Limping to finish line, San Jose Sharks recall three players from AHL

SAN JOSE – The banged-up San Jose Sharks recalled forward Danil Gushchin and defensemen Luca Cagnoni and Jimmy Schuldt from their AHL affiliate on Monday.

The Sharks sustained two more injuries during their 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday night, as defenseman Jack Thompson (upper-body) and center Zack Ostapchuk (lower-body) left the game in the third period.

It was not immediately known how much time Thompson and Ostapchuk might have to miss. While the Sharks’ season ends on Wednesday with a home game against the Edmonton Oilers, Thompson is eligible to return to the Barracuda for the start of the Calder Cup playoffs later this month.

Thompson, recalled from the Barracuda on March 31, has 14 points in 27 AHL games this season.

Gushchin made the Sharks’ roster out of training camp this year and had one point in 10 games before he was returned to the AHL. With the Barracuda this season, Gushchin is second on the team with 27 goals and third with 48 points.

Cagnoni had one point in five games with the Sharks in March and has 49 points in 62 games with the Barracuda.  Schuldt has been shuttled between the AHL and NHL over the last several weeks. He has played six games with the Sharks and has averaged 13:43 in ice time.

The Sharks’ roster has been decimated in recent weeks, as both Shakir Mukhamadullin (upper body) and Mario Ferraro (lower body) sustained season-ending injuries earlier this month. Defenseman Vincent Desharnais (upper body) has not played since March 27, and forward Klim Kostin (lower body) was unavailable to play in Sunday’s game.

The Sharks enter Monday on an nine-game losing streak and will finish the season in 32nd and last place in the NHL’s overall standings.