Support this community by becoming a Sponsor
  
 LGS FEATURES
  MESSAGE BOARDS
  NEWSROOM
  SHARKS SCHEDULE
  SHARKS ROSTER
  DEPTH CHARTS
  INJURY REPORT
  SHARKIVES
  HOSER of the WEEK
  TICKET EXCHANGE
  LINKS
  HOME
 SITE INFORMATION
  Contact Us
  Meet the Staff
  Join the Team
  Advertise
  Our Sponsors




Shave & a haircut, 2 goals!
Setoguchi gets back on track after he goes bald
1/16/10 - By Mike Lee -

Playing in a matinee game at HP Pavilion on Saturday, the Sharks shuffled some personnel against the last place Edmonton Oilers in an attempt to generate some offense, and the move would prove effective as San Jose skated to a workmanlike 4-2 win. Devin Setoguchi had a pair of goals and backup netminder Thomas Greiss made 27 saves in his first start since New Year’s eve to help the Sharks keep pace with the Western Conference leading Chicago Blackhawks.

The Sharks tried addressing some of their scoring issues by moving Manny Malhotra onto the second line, demoting Ryane Clowe back to a checking line. That move would pay dividends for Sharks head coach Todd McLellan later in the game. San Jose ’s top line of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley hasn’t had that issue, which was evident four minutes into the game.

“The shuffling of lines I think sparked a couple of guys,” said McLellan. “And that helped Pavelski’s line get some chances as well.”

Marleau got the Sharks on the board with a fortuitous deflection off Oilers goaltender Devan Dubnyk at 3:51 of the opening period. Marleau tried to setup Heatley who was heading toward the net, but the puck hit Dubnyk’s pad. The puck changed directions, slowly sliding underneath Dubynk and across the goal line.

Denis Grebeshkov knotted the game at 1-1 with 4 minutes remaining in the period after the Oilers outworked San Jose in the Sharks zone. A fight for the puck along the end boards turned into the scoring chance when Sam Gagner won control then sent a pass through the crease to Grebeshkov on the left side for the deposit past Greiss.

The Sharks were crossed up a bit on the play as both defenders out in front of the net, cheated to the right side where another Oilers forward was loitering. That allowed Grebeshkov to slip over to the undefended area just outside the left post.

Dustin Penner would take a high sticking penalty at 17:50, setting up the first of three Shark power plays on the day. The first chance would be the best as Setoguchi broke a scoring slump with his 11th goal of the season with 76 ticks left in the period.

Setoguchi took a feed from Malhotra in the right corner, then backed up to the dot before sending a wrist shot that hit Dubnyk and bounced into the goal. Setoguchi had shaved his head prior to the game in an effort to snap an 9-game goal scoring drought.

Apparently there was something to that whole head shaving thing. Only the intermission break would delay Setoguchi’s next goal. The Sharks forward would deposit his second of the afternoon just 22 seconds into the 2nd period after Joe Pavelski sent a shot off Dubnyk that kicked out to the left of the net. Setoguchi was collapsing on the net, and the rebound hit him in the left skate. He would corral the deflection that send a knuckle ball shot that bounced off Dubnyk and into the Edmonton goal.

“I thought he had a real good game,” added McLellan. “He’s been on his toes. And he found a way to contribute.” Greiss would help himself by skating out to poke check a partial breakaway chance away from Jean-Francois Jacques 8 minutes into the period.

Rookie Benn Ferriero made his return to San Jose after a brief stint in Worcester , where he’s played well the last few weeks. He would commit the Sharks only penalty of the game 12:48 into the middle period for throwing the puck over the glass.

San Jose would kill off the penalty, then turn the tables on Edmonton three minutes later. Thornton capped a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with his 13th goal of the season at 15:36. Thornton carried the puck into the Edmonton zone along the left wing boards before dropping a pass to Marleau, who sent a crossing pass to Douglas Murray on the right side. Murray did his best Thornton imitation by snapping a pin-point pass to the far post, where Thornton was there to tap it home.

Edmonton would take a pair of penalties in the 3rd period, including a hooking penalty to Gagner at 8:40 of the period. The infraction would work out for the Oilers after Patrick O’Sullivan converted on a short-handed chance after Marleau coughed the puck up in the Oilers zone. O’Sullivan grabbed the puck and raced up the left side before beating Greiss with a shot from 12 feet out. It was the Oilers first short-handed goal of the season.

“I thought they played hard,” said Oilers head coach Pat Quinn. “I mean, it’s a good team that we played against tonight. Early on we weren’t real good. By the end of the game it progressed and we picked it up. The first two goals weren’t beautiful. It deflected in by Dubnyk on the crease pass on a bad angle power play goal.”

Game Notes:

The Oilers were shorthanded as a flu bug hit the lineup, which is compounded by several injuries to key players


SHARE THIS STORY:



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
Scoring
1 2 3 T
EDM 1 0 1 2
SJ 2 2 0 4
1st period - 1, SJ, Marleau 32 (Heatley, Thornton), 3:51. 2. EDM, Grebeshkov 5 (Gagner, Cogliano), 15:58. 3. SJ, Setoguchi 11 (Malhotra, Clowe), 18:44, (pp).
2nd period - 4, SJ, Setoguchi 12 (Pavelski, Malhotra), 0:22. 5, SJ, Thornton 13 (Murray, Marleau), 15:36.
3rd period - 6, EDM, O’Sullivan 10 (unassisted), 9:43, (sh).
Penalties
1st period - Penner, EDM (high sticking), 17:50.
2nd period - Ferriro, SJ (delay of game – puck over glass), 12:48.
3rd period - Souray, EDM (slashing), 0:54; Gagner, EDM (hooking), 8:40.
Goaltending
Shots Saves
EDM - Dubnyk 36 32
SJ - Greiss 29 27
Shots On Goal
1 2 3 T
EDM 6 13 10 29
SJ 16 10 10 36
Power Play Conversion
EDM 0 of 1
SJ 1 of 3
3 Stars of the Game
Devin Setoguchi
Manny Malhotra
Joe Thornton
Attendence
17,562
Officials
Referees: LaRue, Peel. Linesmen: Gibbs, Cherrey.
Holiday Gifts at BustedTees

Privacy Statement   |   Contact Us   |   Advertise
Copyright 1997-2021 LetsGoSharks.com. All rights reserved.
This website is an unofficial and independently operated source of news
and information not affiliated with the San Jose Sharks, any team, or league.