Sharks believe that the referees didn’t cost them the game against the Utah Hockey Club.

Cody Ceci’s answer is really obvious. During the San Jose Sharks’ 4-3 loss to Utah Hockey Club, the umpires did overlook some clear and crucial calls, for example Logan Cooley hitting Mikael Granlund’s head and Kevin Stenlund boarding Macklin Celebrini.

But it wasn’t the refs that outshot the Sharks 16-2 after Fabian Zetterlund gave San Jose a 3-2 lead.

Utah scored two late goals to wrestle the lead away.

“The biggest thing for us was we were a little too much on our heels, I think, in the third and allowed them to get their chances and find their way in, back into the game. So I think that’s the biggest takeaway from the game,” 12-year NHL veteran Ceci said. “Officiating, yeah, it’s quick, and it goes either way sometimes. So we’re not going to blame too much on that.”

It’s a hard truth for a young, understandably emotional San Jose Sharks team to learn.