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Depleted Sharks still get the
job done SJ knocks off Colorado without big
3 1/17/04 - by Mike Lee
Sharks head
coach Ron Wilson has stressed that team unity has been one of the gating
factors in San Jose's success this season. That unity was disrupted to a degree
before Saturday night's game versus the Colorado Avalanche, in the form of
injuries to team scoring leaders Patrick Marleau and Marco Sturm and an excused
absence for goaltender Evgeni Nabokov who didn't join the team in Denver until
Saturday afternoon because he was home tending to the birth of his first child.
The rest of the team made up the key absences by knocking off the Avalanche 2-1
at the Pepsi Center.
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you think of this game? Post your comments on the
Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
COL |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
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1st period - COL,
LILES (4) (TANGUAY, HEJDUK), 08:33 S.J, THORNTON (8) (RICCI, CHEECHOO), 15:06
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3rd period - S.J,
EKMAN (11) (KOROLYUK, MCCAULEY), 00:15 |
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1st period - S.J,
PARKER, 03:00 - Fighting (maj) COL, WORRELL, 03:00 - Fighting (maj) S.J, SMITH,
06:50 - Hi stick COL, KARIYA, 16:55 - Slashing COL, LILES, 19:18 - Interference
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2nd period - S.J,
RATHJE, 05:07 - Hooking S.J, RICCI, 09:57 - Tripping COL, SAKIC, 16:46 -
Holding stick |
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3rd period - S.J,
RATHJE, 02:04 - Tripping S.J, STUART, 13:10 - Cross check COL, KONOWALCHUK,
15:03 - Hooking S.J, HARVEY, 19:50 - Hooking COL, KONOWALCHUK, 20:00 - Roughing
S.J, RATHJE, 20:00 - Roughing |
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Shots |
Saves |
SJ - Toskala |
33 |
32 |
COL - Aebischer |
24 |
22 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
7 |
8 |
9 |
24 |
COL |
8 |
13 |
12 |
33 |
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The Sharks rode the hot hand of backup netminder Vesa
Toskala and took advantage of two key scoring chances to win against one of the
hottest teams in the NHL. The victory was really achieved by shutting down the
league's best power play.
Colorado defenseman John-Michael Liles did
score the Avalanche's only goal on the man-advantage, but the Sharks denied
Colorado on five other opportunities. Toskala was exceptional in net, making
several huge saves.
The Sharks took advantage of a timely bounce and
more strong fore-checking to put points on the board. Scott Thornton tied the
game 1-1 with just under five minutes remaining in the opening period by
grabbing a rebound off the end boards and squeezing a shot past David Aebischer
from outside the left post. Mike Ricci had fired a shot from the slot moments
earlier, but it missed the net wide left before kicking off the boards back to
Thornton.
Nils Ekman converted just 15 seconds into the 3rd period
after Alyn McCauley forced a turnover deep in the left corner of the Colorado
zone. Alexander Korolyuk grabbed the loose puck along the left wing boards and
snapped a pass to Ekmen in the slot. Ekman all by himself in eh slot, and
easily one-timed the pass past Aebischer.
Toskala sustained13 Colorado
shots in the 2nd period to preserve the 1-1 tie, which positioned the Sharks to
win with the Ekman goal.
Play of the
Game With the Avalanche swarming in the waning stages of the game
with an extra attacker, Joe Sakic had the puck on the doorstep, a partially
screened goaltender and a wide open net, but he failed to convert because Todd
Harvey never allowed him to get a shot off. Harvey hooked Sakic on his left
arm, denying the Avalanche captain from getting his stick down on the ice. It
was the best penalty the Sharks have taken all season.
The Turning
Point Ekman's goal changed the whole complexion of the game and
certainly changed Colorado's game plan in the 3rd period. The Avalanche have
relied on their special teams play to win games for them all season, but they
were forced to focus on the tying goal and keeping the Sharks from extending
the lead to 3-1.
Save of the
Game Former Shark Teemu Selanne had a chance to sting his old
team once again (he scored the game-winning goal for Colorado back on November
11th), but Toskala denied the Finnish Flash with a spectacular glove save after
Selanne and Paul Kariya moved in on a 2-on-1 break late in the 3rd period.
Toskala denied Selanne on a breakaway minutes earlier after Colorado defenseman
Rob Blake sprung Selanne with a touch pass at center ice.
Box Scores
Do No Justice Mike Rathje and Steve Konawalchuk received roughing
penalties at the end of the game after the two mixed it up as the final horn
was sounding. It's not often you see Rathje throwing blows, so when he does,
the official scorers have to reward him with a fighting major.
Honorable Mention Speaking of tough guys. Give
Sharks tough guy Scott Parker a lot of credit for dropping the mitts with Peter
Worrell. Parker has been nursing an injured forearm, but he answered the bell
in the 1st period when Worrell proposed the dance.
Quotables
Milestones The Sharks are 10-2-1-1 in their last
14 games.
Nabokov and wife Tabitha welcomed delivered their first child,
Emily Paige on Friday at 9:06pm. The 19 ½ -inch, seven-pound, ten-ounce
goaltender will be available for the National Hockey League Entry Draft in
2022. What did you think of this game? Post your comments on the
Feeder
Forums
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