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Madison Square
ambush
Sharks flat in shutout loss to
Rangers
An unusual thing has been happening to the Sharks
this season. Usually shot crazy, San Jose has trailed in shot counts for a
majority of their games this season. But they've been winning. They went and
messed that all up on Sunday in New York by outshooting the host Rangers 33-29
at Madison Square Garden. For their effort, they were rewarded with a 4-0
spanking at the hands of Henrik Lundqvist and the rest of the Rangers.
San Jose mustered double digit shot counts in the 2nd and 3rd period, which is
when the Rangers unloaded on them for four consecutive goals. Perhaps there's
something to be said about the quality of shots the Sharks have been taking in
the early part of the season.
Sunday was about volume and an overall
lack of quality.
They were also playing on less than 24 hours rest,
having defeated the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night in Newark. The quick
turnaround meant lots of tired legs for the Sharks, and it showed.
The
jump was gone. Too many players chasing or watching the puck. It was not one of
their finer performances. This was a tired team.
There's also
something to be said about rest. The Rangers last played on Thursday, when they
beat the Carolina Hurricanes in a shootout. The Rangers were also playing at
home, which is certainly an additional advantage.
The two teams kicked
off things at a high pace that probably squeezed what energy the Sharks had out
of them. Both teams traded scoring chances in the first 10 minutes of the
contest, but both Lundqvist and Sharks netminder Alex Stalock stayed steady and
sure.
In the 2nd period, the momentum clearly began to shift. By the
games midpoint, the Rangers were clearly pressing on the Sharks. A faceoff win
in their own end started a scoring opportunity for the Rangers 13 minutes into
the period. Carl Hagelin carried the puck through the neutral zone before
firing a shot on net from 40 feet out. Stalock allowed the shot to bounce back
out into the slot and rookie defenseman Mirco Mueller failed to clear the puck
as it bounced back toward the Sharks blueline. Hagelin lifted Mueler's stick
then chipped it past Stalock for a painful goal.
The Sharks seemed to
survive the storm and were headed to the 2nd intermission before disaster
struck. Martin St Louis found himself with the puck after it squirted out from
a scrum in the right corner. The Rangers forward took two hacks at the puck as
it pinched up against Stalock and the right post. By the time Marc-Edouard
Vlassic and Andrew Desjardins got there to try and decapitate St Louis, the
puck tricked through Stalock's pads and over the goal ine.
Stalock was
none too happy that the referees did not blow the whistle as he covered it up,
but his frustration seemed to get the better of him.
That frustration
manifested into a miscue that would pot the Rangers a third goal just 4 seconds
later.
After a faceoff was chipped into the Sharks zone, Rick
Nash stabbed at the puck, slip it between Stalock's pads as the Sharks
goaltender seemed to get his baring crossed and his skates discombobulated. The
puck split those crossed up skates for Nash's 7th goal of the season.
The 3rd period was simply a obligation that the Sharks need to get through.
They surrendered a 4th goal 7:18 into the period. Kevin Hayes converted for his
1st NHL tally, lifting a shot from the right side after skating from behind the
Sharks net and pivoting 180 degrees to face his target.
Stalock's
inability to steal a win may have Sharks head coach Todd McLellan reconsider
his plan to alternate goaltenders. Stalock has both Sharks losses this season,
although one came in the shootout.
San Jose finishes their road trip
on Tuesday in Boston when they take on the Bruins.
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Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| NYR |
0 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
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| 2nd period - 1, NYR,
Hagelin 1 (J. Moore, D. Moore), 13:01. 2, NYR, St Louis 1 (unassisted), 19:16.
3, NYR, Nash 7 (D. Moore), 19:20. |
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| 3rd period - 4, NYR,
Hayes 1 (unassisted), 7:18. |
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| 1st period - Brassard,
NYR (hooking), 9:14; Vlasic, SJ (roughing), 19:56; Glass, NYR (roughing),
19:56. |
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| 3rd period - Desjardins,
SJ (fighting major), 3:11; Desjardina, SJ (cross checking), 3:11; Glass, NYR
(fighting major), 3:11; Hunwick, NYR (interference), 9:08; Malone, NYR
(goaltender interference), 12:53. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Stalock |
29 |
25 |
| NYR - Lundqvist |
33 |
33 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
5 |
15 |
13 |
33 |
| NYR |
7 |
17 |
5 |
29 |
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| Referees: Hebert,
Leggo. Linesmen: Murchison, Nansen. |
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