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Desert Embarrassment
Roadtrip starts with 6-2 pasting
1/28/06
- by Mike Lee
The NHL trade deadline is just over a month away,
so Sharks GM Doug Wilson could have a busy February. That is, if anyone around
the league is looking for any of Wilson's underachieving "home grown" talent.
Given any more heartless performances like the one in Phoenix on Saturday
night, the Sharks may be entertaining just about any offer that comes across
Wilson's desk. In another division game that was supposed to mean more because
of the standings implications, the Sharks turned in their second stinker in a
row, losing to the host Coyotes 6-2.
After getting shutout by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Thursday, San Jose had
every reason to enter Saturday's game with a seething fire. There wasn't even
an ember, much less a fire. Phoenix had a comfortable 4-0 lead well into the
3rd period before the Sharks tacked on two meaningless goals.
Curtis Joseph continued his dominance of the Sharks, turning aside 34 shots en
route to his 40th career victory over San Jose. Mike Comrie bookended the
Coyotes scoring with a pair of goals. His first came 2:16 into the 2nd period
after the Sharks defense failed to cover up a rebound.
After Frederik Sjostrom added another tally on a defensive breakdown, Mike
Johnson added a short-handed score in the period to provide all the scoring
they would need. San Jose's power play, ranked 26th in the league, continued
to misfire, going 0-for-6 on the night. Not scoring on the extra-man advantage
is one thing, but giving up goals in the process has proven deadly for the
Sharks this season.
San Jose's special teams woes were exposed even further when the failed to
convert on a 5-on-3 advantage late in the 2nd period. Joseph made several nice
saves to keep the Sharks from converting during the 1:38 that they had the
two-man advantage, but San Jose's timing and initiative simply weren't there.
Keith Ballard, Mike Ricci and Comrie scored 3rd period goals sending the 17,126
paid into a frenzy of howling stupor.
Sharks head coach Ron Wilson pulled starting goaltender Evgeni Nabokov after
Sjostrom's goal, only to see Vesa Toskala get lit up like a roman candle.
It will be interesting to see what Wilson does in Dallas on Monday night,
because of the decision to yank Nabokov. It may not matter if the Sharks
continue to play spectator on defense.
Nils Ekman broke up Joseph's shutout bid with a goal at 12:01 of the 3rd
period, raising his arms in jubilation as if the goal meant something.
Jonathan Cheechoo added his 27th of the season with just over two minutes to
play. Cheechoo had the common sense not to celebrate his goal.
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| PHO |
0 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
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| 2nd period - 1, PHX, M. COMRIE (16) (M.
LECLERC, P. MARA), 02:16, 2, PHX, F. SJOSTROM (3) (O. SAPRYKIN, Z. MICHALEK),
03:04, 3,
PHX, M. JOHNSON (13) (K. BALLARD, L. NAGY), 11:51
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| 3rd period - 4, PHX, K. BALLARD (6) , 10:14,
5,
S.J, N. EKMAN (12) (S. HANNAN, J. CHEECHOO), 12:01, 6,
PHX, M. RICCI (5) (L. NAGY, K. BALLARD), 12:45, 7,
PHX, M. COMRIE (17) (M. LECLERC, J. LUNDMARK), 13:43, 8,
S.J, J. CHEECHOO (27) (N. EKMAN, J. THORNTON), 17:56
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| 1st period - PHX, M. COMRIE (16) (M.
LECLERC, P. MARA), 02:16
PHX, F. SJOSTROM (3) (O. SAPRYKIN, Z. MICHALEK), 03:04
PHX, M. JOHNSON (13) (K. BALLARD, L. NAGY), 11:51
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| 2nd period - S.J, S. THORNTON, 04:13 -
Roughing
PHX, B. DEVEREAUX, 06:56 - Hooking
PHX, P. MARA, 10:54 - Hooking
PHX, C. JOSEPH, 13:53 - Delaying Game-Puck over glass
PHX, S. O'DONNELL, 14:15 - Hooking
S.J, M. MICHALEK, 16:25 - Charging
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| 3rd period - S.J, K. MCLAREN, 02:44 -
Hooking
S.J, J. THORNTON, 12:28 - Tripping
PHX, T. NASH, 15:45 - Hooking
S.J, R. DAVISON, 19:45 - Interference
S.J, N. DIMITRAKOS, 19:50 - Roughing
PHX, M. COMRIE, 19:50 - Roughing
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Nabokov |
14 |
12 |
| SJ - Toskala |
11 |
7 |
| PHO - Joseph | 36 | 34 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
8 |
16 |
12 |
36 |
| PHO |
9 |
11 |
5 |
25 |
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| Referees: Kevin Pollock, Craig Spada. Linesmen:
Brian Murphy, Jay Sharrers. |
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