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MSG turns out to be a house of
horrors for SJ
Rangers snap Sharks winning streak in
a big way
The perfect six-game road trip was not to be on
Monday night, after the New York Rangers denied San Jose in a 5-2 reality-check
at Madison Square Garden. Inspired by an ugly loss two days earlier, the
Rangers converted on their chances after blowing a 2-goal lead on Monday night.
They regained the lead with an offensive outburst late in the 2nd period and
wouldn't relinquish it.
A 5-1 roadtrip is something the sharks would
have been more than happy with after their slow start this season, but Monday
night's performance just wasn't good enough. Sharks head coach Todd McLellan
warned of his team playing "fat & happy", but that's what his team gave him
early in the contest.
Ryan McDonagh gave the Rangers the early 1-0
lead 4:46 into the contest, rifling a Ryan Callahan feed from the left point
past Antti Niemi. McDonagh used two Sharks defenders to partially screen Niemi,
who never saw the shot. McDonagh pulled his shot across the goal mouth,
catching the upper right corner for his 3d goal of the season.
A pick
by Martin Havlat earned the Sharks forward a trip to the box for interference
at 13:25. New York capitalized on the power play chance after Brent Burns tried
to step up and intercept Brandon Dubinsky in the neutral zone. Burns missed and
Dubinsky was off to the races. The Rangers forward raved up the left wing
before whipping a pass to Patrick Stefan through the crease for the easy tap
in.
The period was not a total waste however. Joe Pavelski scored his
tea leading 8th goal of the season with 2:10 left in the period. Douglas Murray
beat Rangers goaltender Martin Biron, but his shot caught iron. The deflection
bounced out into the crease where Pavelski was lurking for the put-back.
San Jose had a great chance to score right before the 1st intermission
when Joe Thornton dropped a puck to Pavelski for a one-time chance that just
missed catching net.
The Sharks look poised to mount another comeback
against the Rangers midway through the 2nd period, when Logan Couture bagged
his 4th goal of the season. San Jose caught the Rangers on a change, allowing
the Sharks to gain the numbers advantage over New York. Pavaleski had the puck
in the high slot, but setup a one-time chance for Couture.
The
momentum appeared to be shifting in San Jose's favor, but a delay of game
penalty by Colin White completely changed the complexion of the game.
New York scored right after White stepped back on the ice for the even-strength
tally that was really on the man-advantage. Eric Christensen found Callahan
with a long pass from the right corner, through the slot for the one-time
chance from the Sharks doorstep. Douglas Murray was position in front of the
left post, but the pass floated through the slot to Callahan on the left side
for th eacy redirect.
Artem Anisimov lifted a backhand shot on a rush up the
right side less than three minutes later gave the Rangers the two-goal lead.
Artisimov took a centering feed from Christensen on the right side, before
surprising Niemi with his stick work.
Callahan put the dagger through
the Sharks heart with 48 seconds to play in the period. Brad Richards sent a
shot on goal from the right wing boards that Niemi stopped, but the rebound
trickled out to the left side of the net. Callahan beat Andrew Murray to the
puck from behind the Sharks net and swept it into the wide open net as Niemi
flailed at it with this right skate.
All the momentum the Sharks
established by tying the game was erased in a matter of 8 minutes.
The
Rangers blew a three-goal lead to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, but
there would be no such drama in the 3rd period on Monday night. Both teams
traded shots, and a high sticking penalty to Dan Boyle essentially killed of
any such notion. Even a pair of power play chances weren't enough to light a
comeback fire.
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think of this story? Post your comments on the
Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| NYR |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
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| 1st period - 1, NYR,
McDonagh 3 (Callahan, Girardi), 4:46. 2, NYR, Stepan 1 (Dubinsky, Girard),
14:53, (pp). 3, SJ, Pavelski, SJ 8 (D. Murray, Thornton), 17:50. |
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| 2nd period - 4, SJ,
Couture 4 (Pavelski, Vlasic), 11:03. 5, NYR, Callahan 4 (Christensen,
Dubinsky), 14:00. 6, NYR, Anisimov 1 (Christensen, Woywitka), 16:42. 7, NYR,
Callahan 5 (Richards), 19:12. |
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| 1st period - Clowe, SJ
(fighting major), 0:07; Prust, NYR (fighting major), 0:07; Bench, SJ (too many
men), 2:17; Havlat, SJ (interference), 13:25. |
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| 2nd period - White, SJ
(delay of game - puck over glass), 12:00; Boyle, NYR (high sticking),
19:56. |
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| 3rd period - Boyle, SJ
(high sticking), 4:29; Fedotenko, NYR (tripping), 7:38; DelZotto, NYR
(tripping), 13:44; Pavleski, SJ (holding), 18:52. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Niemi |
31 |
26 |
| NYR - Biron |
26 |
24 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
9 |
10 |
7 |
26 |
| NYR |
8 |
16 |
7 |
31 |
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| Referees:
Hasenfratz, Kimmerly. Linesmen: Brisebois, Murray. |
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