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Sharks run out of gas in
Denver
Avalanche take 4-3 shootout win
The Sharks up and down February continued on
Wednesday night as San Jose wrapped up their 5-game road trip with a 4-3
shootout loss to the host Colorado Avalanche. Joel Ward salvaged a point for
the Sharks with a goal in the final 1:31 of regulation, but then San Jose
wouldn't come any closer to the net in the overtime and shootout. Martin Jones
made 38 saves in a valiant performance, but the defense in front of him wasn't
up to the task against the hungrier Avalanche.
Truth be told, the
Sharks were lucky to leave Denver with a point. Colorado outplayed them most of
the night, and for good reason. The Avalanche sit perched in the 8th position
in the Western Conference standings. They were the motivated team, and San Jose
looked like the club simply trying to get home.
The 1st period was new
acquisition showcase time as players who were acquired earlier this week by
their respective teams scored goals. Nick Spaling, the forward San Jose grabbed
from the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Roman Polak, scored a goal in his first
game for the Sharks. The goal came on Spaling's first shift, off his first shot
as a Shark. the forward carried a puck up the right side before snapping a shot
past Avalanche backup goaltender Calvin Pickard for the 1-0 Sharks lead.
Colorado acquired a player from Toronto themselves in Shawn Mathias
who converted in the period. Mathias punched home a rebound from the top of the
crease after Carl Soderberg tried getting a puck past Martin Jones with a
backhand shot form the right side.
Brent Burns made it a 2-1 Sharks
lead 1:50 into the 3rd period by wrapping a puck around the left post, bouncing
his shot off defenseman Erik Johnson's skate and into the goal.
A
Joonas Donskoi holding penalty three minutes later allowed the Avalanche to tie
the game, when Jerome Iginla converted on the ensuing power play. The Shark
killer pumped a one-timer fom the top of the left circle past Jones to knot he
game at 2-2.
Gabriel Landeskog gave Colorado the lead with 8
minutes and change left in regulation. Andrew Bodnarchuk carried the puck up
the right side, trying to jam the puck past Jones near the right post.
Landeskog put on the breaks just outside the crease and two a pair of hacks at
the puck as defenseman Justin Braun stopped short of Landeskog's position,
allowing the Avalanche captain to gain the position required to score the
go-ahead goal.
Not that Colorado needed to score, but they were held
without a shot over the final 8:15 of the 3rd period.
Ward's heroics
came late in regulation. Joe Thornton stickhandled along the right wing boards
and hit Ward with a pass as the forward back skated to the front of the
Avalanche net. Ward redirected Thornton's pass past Pickard for his 17th goal
of the season.
In the overtime, San Jose missed on two golden
opportunities when both Donskoi and Burns had breakaway attempts. In both
cases, Pickard stood tall, deflecting both scoring chances.
In the
shootout, Pickard stopped chances by Donskoi and Joe Pavelski. McKinnon scored
int eh opening round, then Matt Duchene ended things with a goal in the 3rd
round.
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Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
SO |
T |
| SJ |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
| COL |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
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| 1st period - 1, SJ,
Spaling 2 (unassisted), 2:10. 2, COL, Mathias 7 (Soderberg, Beauchemin), 13:02.
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| 3rd period - 3, SJ,
Burns 20 (Hartl, Martin), 1:50. 4, COL, Iginla 18 (Barrie, Ladneskog), 5:35,
(pp). 5, COL, Landeskog 15 (Bodnarchuk), 11:45. 6, SJ, Ward 17 (Thornton,
Pavelski), 18:29. |
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| Shootout - COL: McKinnon
(goal), Landeskog (miss), Duchesne (goal). SJ: Donskoi (goal), Pavelski
(miss). |
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| 1st period - Duchesne,
COL (high sticking), 4:45. |
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| 2nd period - Karlsson,
SJ (holding), 15:12. |
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| 3rd period - Donskoi, SJ
(holding), 5:13. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Jones |
41 |
38 |
| COL - Pickard |
33 |
30 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
T |
| SJ |
9 |
7 |
15 |
2 |
33 |
| COL |
11 |
14 |
11 |
5 |
41 |
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| Referees: Rooney,
Walsh. Linesmen: Amell, Grandt. |
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