SAN JOSE – Joe Pavelski scored two goals Thursday night as the San Jose Sharks returned from a three-game roadtrip to stop the visiting Detroit Red Wings 4-1 at SAP Center.
While the Red Wings had not played since Jan. 4, the Sharks had played twice during that time. The Sharks did not show any problem with their busy schedule, however, erupting for three goals in the second period to snap a 1-1 tie.
San Jose takes a 28-11-6 mark into Saturday night’s game against the Boston Bruins. The Sharks have a 16-1-3 home record.
The Sharks sent three shots past Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard in a seven-minute stretch of the second period. After the second intermission, Detroit coach Mike Babcock opted for back-up goalie Petr Mrazek.
Andrew Desjardins recorded his 9th goal of a 179-game NHL career 9:44 into the second. The center banked the puck past defenseman Jakub Kindl at the left boards before firing a low shot from a difficult angle that beat Howard inside the left post. Rookie Bracken Kearns earned his first career assist as San Jose enjoyed a 2-1 lead.
Pavelski gave San Jose a 3-1 cushion with a goal at 12:25. Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg had knocked Pavelski down in the right circle moments earlier, but the Shark was able to reach the left post and turn a short rebound of a Brad Stuart shot into his team-leading 21st goal.
Only Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit has more two-goal games in a career without ever having a hat trick than Pavelski.
San Jose needed 31 seconds of power play time to make it 4-1. Dan Boyle drilled a shot from the right circle inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season. Joe Thornton, coming into play as the league leader in assists, nabbed his second helper of the night.
Patience was the key to both goals in the first period.
San Jose used a 3-on-2 rush to take a 1-0 lead at the 4:59 mark. Thornton, on the right wing, accepted Brent Burns’ pass before stopping at the right dot and waiting for Pavelski to break away from the hold of Zetterberg. Pavelski’s shot from the inside edge of the left circle found the netting.
“Jumbo made a great pass,” said Pavelski.
Detroit’s Tomas Tatar spent several seconds with the puck behind the Shark net before moving to the left post and lifting a backhander over Antti Niemi’s left shoulder at 16:48. Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic had lost his stick while trying to move Tatar out of scoring position.
San Jose finished with a 26-25 edge in shots on net.
