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Jones shines in win over
Flames
Sharks kickoff 6-game homestand with 3-1
win
The Sharks goaltending has not been a strength for
the Sharks early this season. That wasn't the case on Sunday night as the
sharks returned home to kickoff a 6-game home stand. Martin Jones turned in
what might have been his best game of the season to propel the Sharks to a 3-1
win over the Calgary Flames. Jones made 29 saves to earn his 8th win of the
season.
The backstop made several big saves throughout the game, but
none bigger than in the 3rd period, when he stopped Sam Bennett on a penalty
shot chance. The Sharks were clinging to a 2-1 lead at the time, against a
Flames team that leads the league in 3rd period goal differential. The Flames
entered the game as the best 3rd period team in the league so far this season.
They entered with 5 come from behind wins in the 3rd period and had scored 17
more goals than they allowed in the period.
Jones not only stopped
Bennett, but he denied all 14 shots the Flames threw at him over the final 20
minutes of play.
The stellar goaltending was just what the doctor
ordered, after dropping their last two games in regulation. The Flames entered
play ahead of San Jose in the standings. The Sharks beat Calgary in all four
meetings last season, but this is a new Flames roster. Calgary played with
consistent pressure up and down their lineup, and the Sharks were forced to
work for their two points on Sunday night.
Evander Kane wasted no time
getting the Sharks on the board, as he rifled a shot from the left side past
Flames goaltender Mike Smith just 50 seconds into the game. Joe Pavelski
dropped a pass to his Kane, who circled around the top of the left circle
before whipping a shot from the dot to bag his 6th tally of the season.
Flames Captain Mark Giordano almost answered on the ensuing shift when
he snapped a shot that hit the right post. Sharks goaltender Martin Jones made
another stellar save 9 minutes later when Mark Jankowski one-timed a chance
from the slot after the Flames worked a puck off the end boards.
The
Sharks worked a power play chance to end the opening period, but as has been
the norm of late the man advantage failed to fire.
Kane setup the
Sharks second goal of the night, perched behind the Flames net for an eternity
as he waited for the right moment to strike. That would come when he slid the
puck out to the slot for Joonas Donskoi to bang home for the 2-0 Sharks lead.
Kane was sat behind the net for eternity as two Flames defenders sat on each
post waiting to see what the Sharks forward would do. That turned out to be a
mistake, as Donskoi got into position.
Erik Karlsson's lack of defensive acumen was in full
effect 6 minutes into the period when he fell at his own blueline allowing Sean
Monahan to skate in on Jones and snap his 9th goal of the season home. Karlsson
has been bad enough when he's upright, but his ability to stop opposing
offenses while parked on his posterior pretty much sets up feeding time for the
other team.
Mike Smith kept the Flames close with a pair of highlight
reel saves in the frame. First he stopped Tomas Hertl on a point blank chance,
then stuffed Joonas Donskoi off a cross ice feed chance from Kane.
With the Flames 3rd period accomplishments on their minds, the Sharks buckled
down and focused on the defensive end of the puck, and held Calgary off the
board to preserve their lead. Jones was the man of the hour however. Game
Notes:
* Logan Couture played in his 600th NHL career NHL game. He
sustained an injury midway through the 3rd period and did not return.
* Tomas Hertl made his return to the lineup after missing, three games
following a helmet to helmet hit that he sustained in the game against the
Philadelphia Flyers on November 3rd.
* Joe Pavelski finished the game
with a goal and 2 assists on 24 shifts. He recorded 3 shots on goal adn added 4
hits and 4 blocked shots. The captain played an all around game to lead San
Jose.
* Joonas Donskoi and Sam Bennett led their respective teams with
6 shots each. Donskoi outdid Bennet with a goal and an assist.
*
Evander Kane continued to wield a hot hand against the Flames. He had a 4-goal
game last season and added a goal and an assist on Sunday night.
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think of this story? Post your comments on the
Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| CGY |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| SJ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
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| 1st period - 1, SJ, Kane
6 (Pavelski, Donskoi), 0:50. |
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| 2nd period - 2, SJ,
Donskoi 4 (Kane, Pavelski), 1:28. 3, CGY, Monahan 9 (Jankowski), 6:02. |
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| 3rd period - CGY,
Bennett, (unsuccessful penalty shot), 12:22. 4, SJ, Pavelski 8 (Hertl, Meier),
19:08, (en). |
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| 1st period - Valimaki,
CGY (tripping), 18:07. |
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| 2nd period - Jankowski,
CGY (tripping), 3:37. |
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| 3rd period - Monahan,
CGY (tripping), 3:17; Meier, SJ (embellishment), 3:17; Giordano, CGY (hooking),
6:38. Dillon, SJ (PS - hooking on breakaway), 12:22. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| CGY - Smith |
28 |
26 |
| CGY - empty net |
1 |
0 |
| SJ - Jones |
30 |
29 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| CGY |
8 |
8 |
14 |
30 |
| SJ |
12 |
11 |
6 |
29 |
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| Referees: Furlatt,
Nicholson. Linesmen: Gibbs, Murphy. |
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