SAN JOSE
– Three goals in the third period gave the San Jose Sharks a 3-0
record for the week’s home stand and momentum to take into a
four-game road trip beginning Monday in Dallas.
SAN JOSE – Three goals in the third period gave the San Jose Sharks a 3-0 record for the week’s home stand and momentum to take into a four-game road trip beginning Monday in Dallas.
Jeremy Roenick earned his 700th career assist on Jonathan Cheechoo’s goal 2:55 into the third period to help the Sharks shake off two scoreless periods and come away with a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers at sold-out HP Pavilion.
Roenick, who turned 39 five weeks ago, make a successful return from 28 games off the ice due to injury by celebrating his 1350th NHL game with the milestone helper.
“I’ve played a long time with a lot of great players,” Roenick said of his accomplishment.
Coach Todd McLellan had Roenick center wingers Jody Shelley (33) and Claude Lemieux (43) on the fourth line.
“That’s definitely the oldest line in the NHL,” added Roenick.
“JR injected some energy,” McLellan said of Roenick’s return to the line-up.
Shelley, who energized the club and the crowd with a fight against Thrasher Boris Valabik with 5:17 left in the second period, also lauded the effort of his linemate.
“JR’s so passionate, so emotional,” said Shelley. “I’m really happy for the way this worked out for him.”
The Sharks had bagged 18 goals in the last four games, while Atlanta netted 18 in the past three. Any thought of a shoot-out fizzled when the teams went scoreless through 40 minutes of play.
“The energy level was not where it needed to be,” McLellan said of the first two periods.
“(Atlanta’s) penalty killers out-worked us early.” The coach offered that Shelley’s bout with Valabik “may have been a bit of a turning point, gave us some enthusiasm.”
San Jose hit the scoreboard 30 seconds into the third period on Ryane Clowe’s 21st goal of the year.
Clowe ignited the scoring play with a slapshot from the left flank that goalie Kari Lehtonen kicked aside. As the puck went to the left corner, Clowe and Milan Michalek each skated to the front of the net. Joe Pavelski’s shot skimmed off Lehtonen’s pad and 10 feet from the crease. Clowe hustled to the puck and backhanded the shot inside the right post.
Cheechoo’s ninth of the year came late on a San Jose power play. Defenseman Rob Blake started the play by dishing the puck to Roenick deep in the Shark zone. Roenick skated up ice unimpeded before driving a hard pass to Cheechoo in the slot. Cheechoo’s shot glanced between Lehtonen’s pads and across the line for the 2-0 cushion.
Atlanta made it 2-1while the Thrashers were on a 5-on-3 power play. Bryan Little one-timed a 15-footer past goalie Evgeni Nabokov for his 25th goal of the season.
San Jose completed the scoring with a power play goal at the 13:18 mark. Dan Boyle’s shot from the right point settled behind Lehtonen and inches in front of the line before Joe Thornton tapped it in for his 15th goal of the year.
