SAN JOSE
– Carolina moved out to a 3-0 lead and went on to defeat the San
Jose Sharks 5-2 at sold-out HP Pavilion Tuesday night.
San Jose takes its three-game losing streak on the road for
three games, beginning Thursday in Denver against the
Avalanche.
SAN JOSE – Carolina moved out to a 3-0 lead and went on to defeat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 at sold-out HP Pavilion Tuesday night.
San Jose takes its three-game losing streak on the road for three games, beginning Thursday in Denver against the Avalanche.
After earning three of four possible points in the weekend games in Sweden to start the season against Columbus, San Jose opened the two-game homestand with a 4-2 setback to Atlanta.
Carolina, coming in with a two-game losing streak after starting the year in Finland with two wins over Minnesota, expanded a 3-2 lead after two periods with two goals in the third.
The visitors needed nine seconds of a 4-on-4 situation to take a 4-2 lead 2:11 into the third. Staal stole the puck in the corner of the Shark zone and fed LaRose behind the defense for a quick shot past Niemi.
Caorlina completed the scoring at the 7:05 mark of the third. Joni Oitkanen accepted Tom Kostopoulus’ drop pass in the offensive zone and ripped a 30-footer past Niemi.
“We looked fast, we looked strong in the second period,” said Shark captain Joe Thornton. “Turnovers in the third period eventually cost us the game. We’re giving away too many pucks right now.”
The Hurricanes produced the 3-0 lead by the third minute of the second period.
Carolina earned the game’s first two minor penalties. On the second infraction, San Jose went on the power play at 5:46 of the first period. Ten seconds later, Carolina had a 1-0 lead with a short-handed goal.
Chad LaRose of Carolina was able to skate past Dan Boyle in the neutral zone to begin a 2-on-1 break. Captain Eric Staal moved to the left side of the rush and one-timed the LaRose feed past goalie Antti Niemi at 5:56.
The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission on Erik Cole’s even-strength goal at 17:35. After a Jeff Skinner wrap-around try was foiled by Niemi, defenseman Tim Gleason stroked a hard shot from the blue line that resulted in a rebound in the slot. Cole chopped the puck between several skaters at the edge of the crease for his first goal of the season.
A turnover in the San Jose zone led to a third consecutive Carolina goal. LaRose kept the puck inside the zone and passed to Jussi Jokinen in the left circle for a shot on net. Patrick Dwyer collected the rebound in the high slot and snapped a shot inside the right post 2:43 into the third period.
The Sharks scrambled back into the game with the game’s next two goals.
Patrick Marleau controlled a dump-in pass along the left boards in the Hurricane zone. Marleau carried the puck toward the front of the net, then found an unmarked Dan Boyle at the inside edge of the right circle for a one-timer. The shot skimmed off Marleau’s raised stick and past goalie Cam Ward at 6:34 of the second period.
Marleau tried a similar move nearly four minutes later. Instead of dishing to a teammate, Marleau powered a shot between Ward’s back and the left post for Marleau’s second goal of the night. Devin Setoguchi and Douglas Murray earned assists.
“Far too many mistakes,” said San Jose coach Todd McLellan. “The number of out-numbered rushes, even on our power play – not acceptable.”
