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Pavelski continues to own
Colorado SJ snaps 3-game losing streak in
Denver
Joe Pavelski made his return to Colorado, where he
almost single handedly knocked off the Avalanche in last springs opening
round of the playoffs. The Sharks forward scored a pair of big power play goals
to help San Jose jump out to a two-goal lead at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Goaltender Antero Niittmaki would make 29 saves to earn his first victory as a
Shark. A complete performance from the entire lineup would help San Jose snap a
three-game losing streak, as they kick off a 3-game road trip.
San
Jose kept things simple early, focusing on the defensive side of the puck. A
lot less razzle dazzle and more fundamental focus allowed them to weather a
15-shot opening period by the Avalanche. They would slip a little off a
goaltending gaff, but settled down and control more of the ice.
Getting his first start in net since the second game
of the Stockholm series with Columbus, Niittymaki got off to a rocky start. The
Sharks netminder was a bit nonchalant with the puck midway through the 1st
period, attempting a backhand clearing pass that he partially whiffed.
Avalanche winger Chris Stewart intercepted the puck and tried to pull it back
toward the goal mouth, but lost the handle, sliding it out into the slot.
Niittymaki became entangled with defenseman Dan Boyle, who was scrambling to
cover the crease, leaving the net wide open. Colorado defenseman Kyle Cumisky
pinched down the middle of the ice and banged home his 1st goal of the year at
14:43.
San Jose got some relief from their 4th liners who generated
some offense right before the 1st intermission to knot the game at 1-1. Scott
Nichol tapped in a Jamal Mayers feed with 49 seconds left in the period. Mayers
swooped in on a John McCarthy dump in near the left corner, sending a pass to
the crease where Nichol was crashing for the redirect past Craig Anderson.
The Sharks would carry the momentum into the 2nd period, drawing a
tripping penalty on Matt Duchene just 29 seconds in. San Jose would be helped
out on the ensuing power play by Kyle Quincy who broke his stick off a Joe
Thornton pass. Dany Heatley would setup Pavelski with a laser beam pass past
two defenders through the slot. Pavelski would tap home the feed near the left
post for the 2-1 Sharks lead.
Colorado would make Pavelskis next
tally a bit easier, by sending two players to the box 46 seconds apart. Kevin
Porter was guilty of holding at 7:13, the T.J. Galiardi would flip a puck over
the glass to earn a delay of game penalty. Heatley would setup another goal by
blasting a shot on net from the point that Anderson stopped with a pad, but
couldnt cover. Pavelski was lurking around the same spot as his first
goal and easily pulled the puck off Andersons pad and depositing it for
his 2nd of the game.
Colorado would finally draw the Sharks into
taking a penalty when Dan Boyle was sent off for interference at 6:38 of the
3rd period. They would cash in on Milan Hejduks 2nd goal of the season on
a tap in from the front of the left post after a shot from Stewart was
deflected by Niittymaki to the Avalanche winger.
San Jose would get themselves into hot water, when
offsetting rouging calls to Ryane Clowe and Cody McLeod were sent off at 9:04.
Niclas Wallin would follow Clowe to the box right off the ensuing faceoff for
cross checking, giving the Avalanche an extended 4-on-3 power play. The Sharks
penalty killers would step up and extinguish the threat by clearing a handful
of pucks.
Niittymaki made a nice save on a one-time chance by Stewart
with 4:30 to play, after the Avalanche forward drop own the slot and took a
feed from behind the Sharks net. His play throughout the period would save the
Sharks bacon.
Matt Duchene would put the Sharks on the power play with
3:44 to play, but Heatley would nullify the man-advantage by running into
Anderson.
Colorado would pull Anderson with 1:30 to play and the
Sharks would bag an empty-netter courtesy of an assist by linesman Tony
Sericolo. Douglas Murray tried winding the puck out of the Sharks zone, but it
hit Sericolo near the Sharks blueline. Logan Couture was heading up ice and
suddenly found himself with the puck and a wide open net. He would easily shoot
it down ice for his 2nd goal of the season.
Game Notes:
Mayers made his Sharks debut, logging just under 6 minutes of ice time
on 10 shifts. He would record an assist, a shot on goal and one hit. McCarthy
earned recorded his first NHL point with an assist on the Nichol goal.
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What did you
think of this game? Post your comments on the Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
COL |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
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1st period - 1, COL,
Cumisky 1 (Stewart), 14:43. 2, SJ, Nichol 1 (Mayers, McCarthy), 19:11. |
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2nd period - 3, SJ,
Pavelski 1 (Heatley, Marleau), 1:08, (pp). 4, SJ, Pavelski 2 (Heatley,
Marleau), 8:44, (pp). |
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3rd period - 5, COL,
Hejduk 2 (Stewart, Liles), 7:25, (pp). 6, SJ, Couture 2 (Murray, Boyle), 18:48,
(en). |
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2nd period - Duchene,
COL (tripping), 0:29; Porter, COL (holding), 7:13; Galiardi, COL (delay of game
puck over glass), 7:59; Duchene, COL (hooking), 10:34. |
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3rd period -
Boyle, SJ (interference), 6:38; Clowe, SJ (roughing), 9:04; McLeod, COL
(roughing), 9:04; Walling, SJ (cross checking), 9:08; Duchene, COL (high
sticking), 16:16; Heatley, SJ (goaltender interference), 16:29; Stewart, COL
(10 min misconduct), 19:19. |
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Shots |
Saves |
SJ - Niittymaki |
31 |
29 |
COL - Anderson |
33 |
29 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
13 |
14 |
7 |
33 |
COL |
15 |
6 |
10 |
31 |
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Referees: Devorski,
Kozari. Linesmen: Pancich, Sericolo. |
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