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No show Sharks giveaway a
win
3rd period implosion costs San Jose
If there was ever an example of checking out early,
Tuesday night's Sharks game versus the Dallas Stars was it. After grabbing a
commanding 2-0 lead in the opening period, the Sharks lulled themselves to
sleep in the middle frame, before imploding in the third period. Dallas scored
four unanswered goals, including three in that fateful final period to sink the
Sharks. The loss also meant that the Los Angeles Kings climb to within two
points in the standings with two games to play.
The Sharks mustered a
single shot on goal in the 3rd period, which was indicative of the absence of
much motivation. The Stars ran roughshod, controlling the tempo and the puck.
Turnovers spelled doom for san Jose, contributing the last two tallies.
San Jose had entered play with one objective. Win two of their last
three games and they would lock up 2nd place in the Pacific Division. That
still can happen, but they need to win their two remaining games. Their play on
Tuesday would suggest that this isn't happening.
A pair of goals in
the 1st period looked as if the game would go swimmingly for the Sharks early.
Logan Couture converted on a power play 9:21 into the contest. The Sharks
forward ripped a shot from the top of the left circle, using several players
from both teams as screens, blocking Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen's view.
Timo Meier scored his 20th goal of the season with 4:44 remaining in
the opening period, grabbing a deflection near the bottom of the left circle,
then pivoting to face the goal before whipping a shot that hit Lehtonen and
deflected into the net.
Lehtonen's evening came to an end a minute
later after he was injured while trying to defend a series of shots. The Stars
inserted backup Mike McKenna, who hadn't played in an NHL game in three years.
That was tantamount to a goalkeeper making his NHL debut, which is kryptonite
to the Sharks.
As prescribed, the Sharks offense clammed up and never
came close to scoring another goal. That allowed the Stars to go to work.
Jamie Benn cut the Sharks lead in half with 31 seconds left in the 2nd
period. Benn cut down the slot as John Klingberg fired a pass from the right
wing boards. Benn redirected Klingberg's pass past Martin Jones for his 30th
goal of the season.
Gemel Smith punched home a deflection after Alexander
Radulov crashed the net and tried to jam the puck past Jones. The wayward shot
deflected over to Smith on the right side, for the easy put back as Jones lay
sprawled out on the ice.
Benn put the Stars up two minutes later with
3:06 left in regulation after he picked Tomas Hertl's pocket just inside the
Sharks blueline. Benn grabbed the puck he had poked away from Hertl, then raced
in on net and swooped to Jones' left before sliding the puck home. Benn would
score an empty net goal with 24 seconds left in regulation to seal the
disastrous evening game.
Game Notes:
* Evander Kane was
scratched for what the Sharks called rest. The team was mum on if Kane was
suffering from any injury.
* Dylan Gambrell made his NHL debut for San
Jose, logging 9:18 of ice time on 12 shifts. The rookie recorded a single shot
on goal, and was 3-of-6 on draws. Gambrell wore number 14.
* Logan
Couture finished the game a -4, even though he scored a power play goal.
Tallies with an extra skater do not warrant a plus value, so Couture did not
receive any credit for his goal. He was on the ice for all four Stars goals
however.
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What did you
think of this story? Post your comments on the
Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| DAL |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
| SJ |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
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| 1st period - 1, SJ,
Couture 33 (Burns, Herlt), 9:21, (pp). 2, SJ, Meier 20 (Burns, Pavelski),
15:16. |
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| 2nd period - 3, DAL,
Benn 30 (Klinberg, Seguin), 19:29. |
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| 3rd period - 4, DAL,
Smith 6 (Shore), 14:43. 5, DAL, Benn 31 (unassisted), 16:54. 6, DAL, Benn 32
(unassisted), 19:36, (en). |
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| 1st period - Methot, DAL
(roughing), 8:15; Meier, SJ (tripping), 10:10. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| DAL - Lehtonen |
14 |
12 |
| DAL - McKenna |
17 |
17 |
| SJ - Jones |
22 |
19 |
| SJ - empty net |
1 |
0 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| DAL |
5 |
6 |
12 |
23 |
| SJ |
18 |
12 |
1 |
31 |
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| Referees: Pollock,
Rooney. Linesmen: Gibbons, Kovachik. |
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