The San Jose Sharks pleased a sold-out HP Pavilion at San Jose
crowd with four goals in the second period on the way to a 6-3
victory over the Pacific Division-pacing Dallas Stars.
San Jose – The San Jose Sharks pleased a sold-out HP Pavilion at San Jose crowd with four goals in the second period on the way to a 6-3 victory over the Pacific Division-pacing Dallas Stars.
The victory left the Sharks with 60 points in 55 games while holding down 11th place in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Kings are eighth with 65 points in 58 contests. Dallas, with seven wins and an overtime loss in the previous eight outings, has 79 points atop the division.
Joe Thornton collected three points to pull within one point of 500 for his NHL career.
Jonathan Cheechoo scored two goals to reach 34 for the campaign, good enough for a spot in the top five in the league.
The Sharks complete the pre-Olympics portion of the schedule Sunday night in Phoenix against the host Coyotes.
“The guys really worked hard from the get-go,” said Sharks coach Ron Wilson. “Even when Dallas) scored, I didn’t see them flinch. I’m really proud of the effort throughout the line-up.”
The Sharks earned a second consecutive victory by snapping a 1-1 first intermission tie.
Cheechoo scored the first two goals of the second period. The first was the result of Joe Thornton controlling the puck behind the Stars goal before hustling around the right post to deflect the puck off the inside right skate of Cheechoo and into the net at 5:54.
“I knew it hit something,” said Cheechoo of the scoring play. “I looked down at my skates. Everyone started celebrating so I knew something had happened.”
“It’s nice to see some funny goals,” added Thornton. “That’s what happens when you shoot the puck.”
Thornton added a second assist at 9:46 as the Sharks first power play unit controlled play in the Stars zone for the 1:54 needed to make it 3-1. Thornton found Cheechoo unmarked at the bottom of the left circle for a one-timer inside the left post.
Milan Michalek turned a Patrick Marleau steal into a dash undefended toward goalie Marty Turco at 14:32 of the second. Michalek nudged the puck over Turco as the netminder tried a poke-check at the attacker.
Alyn McCauley added his 10th goal of the season at 16:01 after linemates Marcel Goc and Grant Stevenson controlled the puck behind the Dallas net for 15 seconds.
Dallas cut the lead in half within a span of 36 seconds of the third period.
Nilas Hagman redirected a shot from the left point by Martin Skoula past Toskala at 6:20. Stu Barnes was in position in front of the net to stuff in the puck after it was lofted over the net from behind the boards by Steve Ott at 6:56.
Marleau earned his fourth assist on Michalek’s empty-net goal with 1:01 to play.
Mike Modano, set to jet to the Winter Olympics Sunday as a member of the American squad, opened the scoring 6:45 into action.
Linemate Jussi Jokinen gained the Sharks blueline before dropping a pass to a streaking Modano in the high slot. The Dallas captain turned a one-timer into a successful shot between the pads of goalie Vesa Toskala.
The Sharks, leaders in shots on net for the first period at 11-8, pulled even on Joe Thornton’s 20th goal of the season.
San Jose began a 48-second two-man power play at the 14:48 of the period. Just one second after Jon Klemm left the Dallas penalty box, Thornton snapped a shot past an unprepared Turco for the equalizer from the right flank.
Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff earned the secondary assist on the tally to equal his career high in points at 12.
