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WCSF Game 5: Sharks late to the
party
SJ can't overcome 4-goal deficit, lose
5-3
Like death and taxes, the Sharks once again find
themselves facing playoff elimination after the Vegas Golden Knights defeated
them 5-3 at T-Mobile Arena on Friday night. The Sharks didn't show up until the
second half of the 3rd period, but by then they trailed 4-0. that lead would
prove insurmountable, even though they scored three goals in the final period.
Vegas used their home-ice advantage and flat out beat the Sharks with quick and
timely scoring.
It was a complete about face from the prior three
games in which San Jose controlled the tempo of each game. The first 50 minutes
of Game 5 had a resemblance to Game 1 where the Knights torched the Sharks.
Vegas used their speed to score first, then poured it on with that speed.
The Sharks played quality hockey in the opening period and actually
controlled the initiative for a majority of the frame. Two 2-on-1 chance in the
first 7 minutes of the game setup excellent chances for San Jose, but they
would not generate a single shot on either chance.
Vegas started to
kick things into gear late in the period, and distanced themselves on the shot
counter with a flurry of scoring chances. What should have been a scoreless 1st
period turned ugly for San Jose when Mikkel Boedker's half-hearted clearing
chance landed on a Knights stick, keeping the puck in the Sharks zone. The puck
never left Vegas control after that, as James Neal finished things by
one-timing a deflection past Martin Jones with 3 seconds left in the period.
It wasn't a back-breaking goal, but surrendering any score that late
in a period had psychological effects on both teams.
Colin Miller was
assessed a holding penalty at 2:07 of the 2nd period, but the Sharks power play
only generated a pair of shots on net. Tomas Hertl fell victim to Gerard
Gallant's whining about the Sharks running picks, when he was sent off for
interference after bumping into Miller at 4:19.
The Sharks penalty
kill was simply absent on the ensuing power play, when Tuch swept home a
rebound from the doorstep as Justin Braun sat watching the puck rather than
clearing out the opposition.
Erik Haula made it a 3-0 game after David
Perron feathered a pass to him on the left side for the quick one-time chance
on the fly. Dylan DeMelo was absent on the defensive assignment, which left
Haula untouched.
Justin Braun killed any chance for San Jose to
respond after he was sent off for tripping at 11:02.
With the game all
but decided, the officials started to call penalties on Vegas. Tomas Hertl was
cross checked across the chin by Shea Theodore, drawing blood. Through some
special exception in the rule book, Theodore was not assessed a major penalty
or a double minor for drawing blood. Evander Kane was given a major and
suspended a game for his facial cross check, but special treatment is nothing
new for this Knights franchise.
The Sharks would do nothing with the power play other
than offer up a pair of short-handed chances to the Knights.
Alex Tuch
scored his 4th goal of the playoffs at 8:36, tipping a Cody Eakin pass past
Martin Jones, which would end the Sharks goaltender's evening. Aaron Dell was
inserted in net by Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer to mop up and rest Jones for
Sunday's Game 6.
James Neal was whistled for slashing at 9:06, setting
up another Sharks power play. This time, they would convert. Kevin Labanc
scored the first playoff goal of his career on a shot from the slot that sailed
past Fleury's left shoulder.
Hertl made it a 2-goal game two minutes
later when he punched a loose puck past Fleury from the doorstep. The goal was
Hertl's 6th of the playoffs.
Boedker made a one-goal game at 15:44 by
lifting a puck that was bouncing around in front of the Vages net. Fleury had
to commit to a save and was face down on the ice when Boedker scooped up the
loose puck and deposited it for his first goal of the playoffs.
That
would simply serve as a tease once Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer pulled Dell
with 2 minutes remaining in regulation. Dylan DeMelo had a shot attempt, but
for some reason he floated into the scrum in front of the net, rather than the
lane to the goal mouth. The puck kicked off a Sharks player and landed on
Jonathan Marchessault's stick, who sent it the length of the ice for the empty
net tally.
The final 10 minutes was a carbon copy of the output the
Sharks produced in Game's 2, 3 and 4, but they could not rely on 10 minutes of
hustle.
Game Notes:
* It will be interesting to see
what becomes of the cross check to Hertl's face. The on-ice penalty was not
commensurate with the same infraction perpetrated by Evander Kane in Game 1.
Theodore should see a one game suspension at minimum.
* Rookie
defenseman Joakim Ryan continues to prove that he belongs on the ice for San
Jose. The young blueliner a minus 1 on 20 shifts, but he was not responsible
for Alex Tuch's goal.
* The Sharks three big money players, Joe
Pavelski, Evander Kane and Brent Burns were all a minus 2 for the game.
* Logan Couture and Joonas Donskoi were the only Shark forwards that
did not register a shot on goal. As those two forwards go, so go the Sharks.
* Captain Joe Pavelski had a game to forget. He was a -2, had 1 shot
on goal, was 6 of 17 in the faceoff circle (35%), and was essentially invisible
on the ice. San Jose will need more from their captain in Game 6 or it's tee
time.
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think of this story? Post your comments on the
Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
| VGK |
1 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
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| 1st period - 1, VGK,
Neal 3 (Theodore, Perron), 19:57. |
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| 2nd period - 2, VGK,
Tuch 3 (Smith, Marchessault), 4:52, (pp). 3, VGK, Haula 3 (Perron, Carpenter),
8:59. |
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| 3rd period - 4, VGK,
Tuch 4 (Eakin, Lindberg), 8:36. 5, Sj, Labanc 1 (Couture, Hertl), 9:35, (pp).
6, SJ, Hertl 6 (Boedker, Couture), 11:44. 7, SJ, Boedker 1 (Couture), 15:44. 8,
VGK, Marchessault 3 (unassisted), 18:39, (en). |
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| 2nd period - Miller, VGK
(holding), 2:07; Hertl, SJ (interference), 4:19; Braun, SJ (tripping), 11:02;
Pavelski, SJ (roughing), 16:40. |
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| 3rd period - Theodore,
VGK (cross checking), 1:24; Theodore, VGK (slashing), 4:11; Neal, VGK
(slashing), 9:06; Pavelski, SJ (roughing), 16:40; Vlasic, SJ (slashing), 19:27;
Vlasic, SJ (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:27; Dillon, SJ (10 min misconduct),
19:48; Engelland, VGK (10 min misconduct), 19:48. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Jones |
31 |
27 |
| SJ - Dell |
7 |
7 |
| SJ - empty net |
1 |
0 |
| VGK - Fleury |
30 |
27 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
7 |
10 |
13 |
30 |
| VGK |
15 |
13 |
11 |
39 |
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| Referees: Rooney,
Dwyer. Linesmen: MacPherson, Cherrey. |
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