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Tired but
triumphant
Sharks roll in Colorado with 4-1
win
Had the Sharks succumbed to the fatigue that
comes with playing games on back-to-back nights, Sunday night's game in Denver
would have ended badly. Instead, San Jose weathered the opening 20 minutes
against the upstart Colorado Avalanche, then showed why talent and experience
are so important. They erased an early 1st period deficit with four straight
goals, including three from Patrick Marleau.
Marleau's trifecta was
the 4th of his career, but more importantly it helped the Sharks extend their
Pacific Division lead. They moved into that lead less than 24 hours earlier
after beating the Dallas Stars by the same 4-1 score they posted against the
Avalanche.
The Avalanche had every intention of capitalizing on the
Sharks travel schedule, as well as to turn around their home doldrums. Colorado
had won only three times in nine tries at the Pepsi Center this season. The
game plan was to outwork San Jose out of the gate and take advantage of a tired
hockey club.
The plan worked early on. Matt Duchene gave Colorado a
1-0 lead 7:25 into the game, capping a sequence that mesmerized the Sharks
defense. Ryan Wilson setup Duchene with a 30 foot pass through the slot for a
one-time chance from the right dot, as four static Shark defenders locked in on
Wilson.
The goal was the only blemish on netminder Thomas Greiss'
evening. Greiss stopped 36 shots on the evening ad was arguably the best Shark
on the ice. The Avalanche would only put 9 pucks on net in that opening 20
minutes, but it was by far the most intense period of the game for San Jose.
Penalties prevented Colorado from running amuck in the period. Marleau
made it a wash midway through the period by punching home a shot from inside
the crease just as a tripping penalty to Kyle Quincey was expiring.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic earned the first of his three primary assists by firing the
puck to Marleau just outside the right post.
Marleau deflected a shot
by Vlasic past Avalanche goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere 7:35 into the 2nd
period. Vlasic cranked a shot from the left post just as Marleau was cutting
through the slot. Marleau got his stick blade on the low shot, tipping it over
Giguere's left shoulder.
Joe Pavelski scored his 11th goal of the season with
3:13 left in the period to make the Avalanche's goal of coming back much more
difficult. Joe Thornton setup the goal with a feed from behind the Avalanche
net. Colorado shot themselves in the foot by failing to clear the puck.
Three 3rd period penalties sealed the deal for the Avalanche, who
couldn't stay out of the box all night. Eric Johnson's interference penalty at
17:30 was the most egregious, as it nullified any chance of a comeback and was
blatant.
Marleau capped his big night with a shot from the center line
that found the empty net.
San Jose owned the faceoff circle, winning
33 of 54 draws. Pavelski and Handzus both had 70% conversion rates.
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Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
| COL |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
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| 1st period - 1, COL,
Duchene 9 (Wilson, Landeskog), 7:25. 2, SJ, Marleau 7 (Vlasic, Thornton),
12:16. |
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| 2nd period - 3, SJ,
Marleau 8 (Vlasic, Clowe), 7:35. 4, SJ, Pavelski 11 (Thornton, Couture),
16:47. |
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| 3rd period - 5, SJ,
Marleau 9 (Vlasic, Thornton), 19:17, (pp), (en). |
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| 1st period - Quincey,
COL (tripping), 10:15; Landeskog, COL (goaltender interference), 19:14. |
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| 2nd period - O'Byrne,
COL (delay of game - puck over glass), 1:50; Boyle, SJ (interference), 8:38;
McClement, COL (interfernece), 19:25. |
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| 3rd period - Yip, COL
(high sticking), 12:10; Johnson, COL (interference), 17:30; O'Byrne, COL (10
min misconduct), 17:30. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Greiss |
37 |
36 |
| COL - Giguere |
17 |
13 |
| COL - empty net |
1 |
0 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
6 |
9 |
3 |
18 |
| COL |
9 |
14 |
14 |
37 |
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| Referees: Joanette,
Vinnerborg. Linesmen: Kovachik, Gibbs. |
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