|
|
SJ clinches playoff spot in
Anaheim Nabby shut out Ducks 3/15/09 - By Mike Lee
The Sharks offensive woes
continued in Anaheim on Sunday night, but with a healthy Evgeni Nabokov between
the pipes, that didnt seem to matter. Nabokov turned aside all 34 shots
he faced en route to his sixth shutout of the year in a 1-0 nail biter at the
Honda Center. The win pushed the Sharks to the 100-point mark, but more
importantly it secured a playoff spot and showed that the Sharks could win on
the road.
Outside of a catastrophic collapse over the last month of
the season, a return to the playoffs was a forgone conclusion, but Nabokov
ended that suspense with save after save. After missing eight games, hes
given up a single goal his last two games.
After playing less than 24
hours earlier, it wasnt surprising that the Sharks had little jump in
their step to open the game. The Ducks did little to take advantage, although
they did outshoot the sharks 12-7 in the open 20 minutes. The highlight of the
period was a scrap between Jody Shelley and George Parros. The Ducks enforcer
cut Shelley with a couple of quick rights before both players lost their
balance and went down.
While Nabokov continued to keep the puck out of
the San Jose net, Jonas Hiller matched him shot for shot. The Sharks just
missed on a chance midway through the 2nd period after Marcel Goc skated up the
right wing and tried forcing a shot from outside the crease. The puck deflected
out to Jonathan Cheechoo on the off wing, for a backhand chance that hit Hiller
in the glove then bounced off the crossbar.
San Jose would finally get
a shot past the Ducks goaltender with 62 seconds left in the 2nd period. Rookie
right winger Jamie McGinn looped out of the left corner, before backhanding the
puck toward the slot from the left wing boards. McGinns feed hit former
Duck Travis Moens stick, lifting it into the air. The puck deflected off
defenseman Ryan Whitneys glove, knuckling past Hiller for the only score
of the game.
Nabokov continued to stymie the Ducks, stoning Teemu
Selanne on a scoring chance 4 minutes into the 3rd period. Selanne took a pass
up the right wing and sent a one-timer toward the right post. Nabokov slid to
his left and snared the shot.
Two big 3rd period penalties played key
roles in the outcome of the game. First a Joe Pavelski holding penalty led to a
close call for the Sharks. Cory Perry just missed on a scoring chance during
the ensuing power play, but Nabokov stoned him as he crashed the crease.
Frustrated by Nabokovs stop, the Ducks forward took a couple of stabs at
the back of Nabokovs leg pad as the two lay crumpled in the crease. The
move was met with immediate response from three Sharks positioned around the
pair.
Sharks defenseman Alexei Semenov had a tough time staying out of
the penalty box, making separate trips to the box in each three regulation
periods. His interference penalty with 3:51 left in regulation, gave the Ducks
one last shot at tying the game up, but Nabokov smothered everything that came
his way.
Knowing it would probably be there last chance at knotting
the game, Anaheim threw the kitchen sink at Nabokov while on the man advantage.
A shot by Selanne from the right dot rang off the left post, narrowly missing
the chance to extend the game to overtime. That would be followed by a Whitney
chance that Nabokov rebuffed with a diving save.
Anaheim head coach Randy Carlyle was forced to pull
Hiller in a last ditch effort to bag the equalizer. The move wouldnt
generate the scoring chance the Ducks would need, and thus adding another hit
to Anaheim s playoff chances. The Ducks trail Edmonton by 3 points in the
race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but three other
teams sit between the two.
Game Notes:
Highlights of
Moens career in Anaheim was shown on the arena big screen. Moen
acknowleged the 17,511 in attendance who gave Moen a standing ovation. It was
the first time back in Anaheim for the left winger since he was traded to San
Jose on March 4th. It was also the first time Moen saw his wife and new born
son since he was traded.
|
|
What did you think of
this article? Post your comments on the Feeder Forums |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What did you
think of this game? Post your comments on the Feeder Forums |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
ANA |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
2nd period - 1, SJ, Moen
6 (McGinn), 18:58. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st period - Wisniewski,
ANA (interference), 5:06; Shelley, SJ (fighting major), 9:10; Parros, ANA
(fighting major), 9:10; Getzlaf, ANA (slashing), 12:25; Semenov, SJ (hooking),
15:09. |
|
|
2nd period - Perry, ANA
(hooking), 12:31; Semenov, SJ (roughing), 15:22. |
|
|
3rd period -
Christensen, ANA (interference), 1:02; Pavelski, SJ (holding), 7:21; Semenov SJ
(interference), 16:09. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shots |
Saves |
SJ - Nabokov |
34 |
34 |
ANA - Hiller |
30 |
29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
7 |
10 |
13 |
30 |
ANA |
12 |
10 |
12 |
34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Referees:
Hasenfratz, O'Rourke. Linesmen: Heyer, Seitz. |
|
|
|
|
|