|
|
Penalty kill comes up big in
win
Nabokov stops 28 shots in 3-1
win
12/29/08 - By Mike Lee
The
makeup of a good team comes to light in games following losses. The Sharks
rebounded from a sub-par performance in St Louis on Saturday night with a much
improved team performance in Dallas on Monday to take their third straight game
from the Stars this season in a close 3-1 win at the American Airlines Center.
Evgeni Nabokov made 28 big saves to pace the Sharks, who needed their
goaltender to play big down the stretch.
Nabokov got off to a hot
start by rejecting Jiri Lehtinen with a nifty pad save after the Stars forward
jammed at a loose puck at the top of the Sharks crease in the first five
minutes of the game. Nabokov would build on that, allowing only a fluke goal to
earn his 20th win of the season.
Jonathan Cheechoo made the most of
his move to the Sharks top line by opening the scoring at 15:10 of the 1st
period. Cheechoo got his stick on a Dan Boyle shot from the right point,
redirecting the puck past Stars goaltender Marty Turco. It marked the second
consecutive game in which Cheechoo tallied a goal.
A Brad Lukowich
interference penalty at 5:35 of the 2nd period was followed by a questionable
hooking penalty to Marc-Edouard Vlasic a minute later, giving the Stars a 2-man
advantage for 56 seconds. San Jose kept one of the hotter power play units at
bay, killing off both penalties unscathed.
James Neal took a high
sticking penalty later in the period, but the Sharks power play proved just as
ineffective. The 2 minute advantage almost ended badly for San Jose when Neal
left the box and took a breakaway chance in on net. Vlasic made a strong play
to break up the chance by catching Neal and chipping the puck to safety.
The Sharks extended their lead to 2-0 at 3:55 of the 3rd period on a
highlight reel goal from Milan Michalek. After taking a centering pass from Joe
Pavelski in the slot, Michalek was tripped by Stars defenseman Andrew
Hutchinson, but the Sharks winger was able to keep the puck in front of him as
he slid on one knee from right to left. Michalek whipped a shot top shelf from
his knees past a stunned Turco, and just like that San Jose had some breathing
room.
Jonathan Cheechoo would take an interference penalty a minute
later, but the Sharks killed their 4th straight penalty to preserve their
cushion.
Rob Blake would give the Stars another power play chance
after throwing the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. The penalty
kill once again came up big, this time courtesy of several Nabokov saves.
The Stars finally got on the board courtesy of Sharks defenseman
Alexei Semenov, who was in the lineup after Christian Ehrhoff was scratched for
his poor play in St Louis . Matt Niskanen threw a puck on goal from the right
point, but Semenov inexplicably tried to glove the puck well over his head, but
it deflected off his hand, redirecting past Nabokov.
The Sharks shot themselves in the foot when Boyle took
a penalty for closing his hand on the puck with 4 minutes to play. Patrick
Marleau almost turned that vinegar into wine on a breakaway chance that drew a
penalty shot, but the Sharks captain failed to convert.
Semenov would
atone for his gaff earlier in the period by blocking a shot by Mike Modano with
just over a minute to play by laying out in the slot. Pavelski would follow
that up with a block of his own, allowing the puck to kick out to center ice.
Ryane Clowe would deposit the puck into an empty net to secure the win.
Game Notes:
Douglas Murray left the game in the 3rd period
momentarily, but would return later.
 |
|
| 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
| DAL |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
| 1st period - 1, SJ,
Cheechoo 6 (Boyle, Thornton), 15:10. |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3rd period - 2, SJ,
Michalek 8 (Pavelski, Clowe), 3:55. 3, DAL, Niskanen 3 (unassisted), 14:57.
Marleau, SJ (unsuccessful penalty shot), 16:20, (sh). 4, SJ, Clowe 15
(Pavelski), 18:58, (en). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1st period - Marleau, SJ
(interference), 3:49; Hinote, STL (tripping), 6:15. |
|
|
| 2nd period - Plihal, SJ
(tripping), 8:47; Ribeiro, DAL (boarding), 11:11. |
|
|
| 3rd period - Cheechoo,
SJ (interference), 5:06; Blake, SJ (delay of game – puck over glass),
10:37; Boyle, SJ (closing hand on puck), 16:08. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Nabokov |
29 |
28 |
| DAL - Turco |
18 |
16 |
| DAL - empty net |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
6 |
6 |
7 |
19 |
| DAL |
9 |
10 |
10 |
29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Referees: Lee,
Pochmara. Linesmen: Champoux, Murphy. |
|
|
|
|
|
