SAN JOSE
– Detroit shook off an early 2-0 deficit and defeated the San
Jose Sharks 4-2 Tuesday night at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The Red Wings came into the game in eighth place in the Western
Conference. The potential first-round opponent for the Sharks in
the Stanley Cup Playoffs has won the first three games in the
season series.
SAN JOSE – Detroit shook off an early 2-0 deficit and defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2 Tuesday night at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The Red Wings came into the game in eighth place in the Western Conference. The potential first-round opponent for the Sharks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs has won the first three games of the season series.
Detroit ended San Jose’s 10-game streak without a regulation loss by rebounding from a 2-0 deficit with four consecutive goals.
Defenseman Derek Meech scored his fourth goal in 114 NHL games 4:40 into the third period to snap a 2-2 tie.
San Jose was within 11 seconds of killing off a Ryane Clowe boarding call when Meech sent a shot from behind the goalline off the back of goalie Evgeni Nabokov’s right pad and into the net.
The visitors moved to a 4-2 cushion with an even-strength goal at 8:58. Defenseman Brian Rafalski whipped a pass from the right point to a waiting Patrick Eaves a stride away from the left San Jose goal post. Eaves collected the pass and jammed the puck inside the left post.
The teams went into the third period squared at 2-2. The second period found neither team able to add to the 2-2 tie generated in the first period.
Joe Thornton, the NHL leader in assists, went into scoring mode in the first 10 minutes of play.
Thornton netted his 14th goal of the year 6:11 into action to open the scoring. Thornton banked a pass from the defensive zone to Dany Heatley in the neutral zone. Heatley’s advance and shot on net from the top of the left circle bounced off the left shoulder of goalie Jimmy Howard and to the front of the crease. Thornton sped to the crease, beating Rafalski to the loose puck and pushing the puck into the net.
San Jose took a 2-0 lead when Thornton scored while the teams were skating 4-on-4 with 9:45 gone. Defenseman Jason Demers pulled a pass back to Heatley at the top of the slot. Heatley’s shot created a short rebound near the front of the crease. Thornton took the puck away from defenseman Brad Stuart and backhanded the puck into the open net for his 15th goal and 70th point of the season.
Detroit took advantage of a San Jose turnover in the Red Wings zone to put together a successful scoring play at 14:52. Valtteri Filppula controlled the puck along the endboards before sliding a pass to Dan Cleary for the one-timer from point-blank range to leave it 2-1.
Detroit took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play late in the period to create a 2-2 deadlock.
After Patrick Marleau was called for tripping at 18:11, Rob Blake was given a delay of game penalty at 18:40. The Wings had 1:32 of 5-on-3 skating, but needed just 18 seconds for Henrik Zetterberg to bang in a rebound of a Tomas Holmstrom shot from the left flank.
Washington moved one point ahead of San Jose atop the NHL overall standings with a 4-1 win over Boston.
The Sharks start a six-game roadtrip Thursday in St. Louis. Following the Olympic break, San Jose begins a five-game homestand Tuesday March 2 against New Jersey.
