Two Cheechoo goals in third key win
San Jose – The San Jose Sharks pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings Monday night at HP Pavilion at San Jose, extending a home winning streak to six games.
The decision left the Sharks with 71 points in 10th place in the Western Conference, three points behind eighth-place Anaheim.
Jonathan Cheechoo recorded his fourth hat trick of the season, notching his second and third goals of the game in a frantic third period that featured five goals. Cheechoo became the second Shark to reach 40 for a season, Owen Nolan finding the net 44 times in 1999-2000.
Joe Thornton assisted on each Cheechoo goal, leaving the center with a league-topping 95 points, two ahead of New York Ranger Jaromir Jagr.
The Sharks host the St. Louie Blues Thursday, then complete the homestand with games Saturday afternoon against Dallas and Sunday opposite Colorado.
Cheechoo gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead with a goal 3:18 into the third period.
Thornton shook off a Kings hold behind the Los Angeles net to jab a shot at goalie Mathieu Garon. The short rebound went to Cheechoo at the right post. The winger spun around with the puck and backhanded the puck into the top left corner of the net over a prone Garon.
“(Cheechoo’s) so deceptive, a great skater,” said Thornton of his high-scoring linemate. “The secret’s out now.”
Patrick Marleau established a career high of 29 goals when he beat Garon between the pads from 15 feet out at 3:43.
Los Angeles responded with a goal from Joe Corvo at 7:26. Cheechoo then caused six dozen hats to find the ice surface at 7:42 when he whipped a shot from the low slot past Garon.
The Kings made it a one-goal game again when Michael Cammalleri fired a shot past goalie Vesa Toskala’s left shoulder and into the top right corner of the net at 8:11.
The Sharks managed to escape the first period in a scoreless tie despite spending eight minutes killing penalties.
Each team netted a goal from a difficult angle in the second period, leaving the second intermission in a 1-1 deadlock.
The Kings, 21-7-4 when scoring the first goal of the game, took a 1-0 lead on an Eric Belanger goal just 54 seconds into the second period.
Belanger carried the puck into the Sharks zone off a feed from Gleason. As Belanger skated through the left-wing circle, he was shadowed by San Jose defenseman Tom Preissing. Belanger drifted wide toward the left corner before skimming a pass from behind the goal line. The puck skidded off the right skate of Toskala near the left post and into the net for the Kings’ goal.
The Sharks pulled even with a short-handed goal by Cheechoo at 8:10.
San Jose newcomer Ville Niemenen earned two minutes for hooking Kings defenseman Aaron Miller at 7:13. Joe Thornton kept a San Jose assault alive by whisking the puck behind the Kings net. Cheechoo raced to the loose puck behind the net, then reversed direction and jammed the puck along the crease. The puck struck goalie Mathieu Garon’s left knee and slid into the goal area.
“(Cheechoo) never gives up on a play,” said Thornton about the tying goal.
“I’m excited that Joe’s leading the league in scoring,” added Wilson. “Joe’s a great playmaker. Jonathan has a good shot at being a 50-goal scorer.”
