In their last game before the league pauses its schedule for two weeks to hold the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Sharks gave up three goals in a lopsided first period and never fully recovered in an 8-3 loss to the playoff-bound Dallas Stars on Saturday at SAP Center.

NHL: San Jose Sharks face ex-teammates Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci on Saturday when they face the Dallas Stars at SAP Center

Jason Robertson, Mason Marchment, Mavrik Borque, Wyatt Johnston, Thomas Harley and Jamie Benn also scored to help the Stars rebound from a 5-4 shootout loss in Los Angeles the night before. Casey DeSmith made 23 saves.

The San Jose Sharks have prime opportunities to grow their rookie’s skill and depth as well as better the team in the end. Even though the team will miss out on playoffs for the sixth year in a row, they can use this time to focus more on skill development.

The Stars are playing the second night of a back-to-back following an emotional shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

The San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) along with the National Hockey League announced today the franchise’s First and Second Quarter Century Team presented by SAP as selected by a panel of media, retired players,

The Dallas Stars have acquired center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in the latest in a flurry of trades around the NHL.