SAN JOSE
– After handing the Anaheim Ducks a pair of setbacks this week,
the San Jose Sharks host the Phoenix Coyotes Saturday night at HP
Pavilion.
SAN JOSE – After handing the Anaheim Ducks a pair of setbacks this week, the San Jose Sharks host the Phoenix Coyotes Saturday night at HP Pavilion.
Mike Moore registered three assists and San Jose posted a 49-14 edge in shots on net Friday night to turn aside the Ducks 5-1 in front of 16,541 fans in the first Shark game in the building since a Game Four loss to Vancouver on May 22 in the Western Conference Finals.
“In these two games, there was great leadership from the veterans,” coach Todd McLellan said of the Sharks’ effort.
“I was very happy with those three (Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau). They came in and led the way.”
San Jose polished off a dominant first period with a Dan Boyle goal in the closing 1.4 seconds to take a 2-0 cushion into the first intermission.
The Sharks earned a power play at 13:56 of the period when Duck Corey Perry was sent to the box for holding the stick. San Jose’s first power play unit kept the puck inside the Duck zone for 62 seconds before Anaheim managed to clear the zone. Once the second unit came onto the ice for the hosts, Matt Irwin opened the scoring with a low shot from the right point off a feed by fellow defenseman Moore. The shot flew over the prone Duck Nate Guerin and by goaltender Dan Ellis at 15:21.
San Jose’s 19th shot of the period made it 2-0. Pavelski won the face-off at the right circle in the Duck zone. Thornton took Pavelski’s feed before finding Boyle across the ice at the top of the left circle. Boyle’s patient move toward the net was followed by slapshot past Ellis’ left arm and into the net.
After a 19-2 edge in shots on net in the first 20 minutes, San Jose came back from the intermission and fashioned a 17-5 showing in shots for the middle period. Prior to the puck being dropped to begin the period, Anaheim was given a two-minute penalty for delay of game because the team was not back to the bench in time to begin play. San Jose did not score on the power play.
The Sharks produced an even-strength goal at 8:24 of the second for a 3-0 lead. Moore, earning his second assist of the night, fed the puck to Douglas Murray at the top of the Duck zone. Murray’s low shot dropped inside the right post as Thornton screened Ellis at the edge of the crease.
Through 12 minutes of the second period, San Jose had three goals, the Ducks three shots.
The Anaheim offense needed 11 seconds of power play to make it a 3-1 contest. When Shark defenseman Matt Pelech was called for hooking at 14:45, Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf rocketed a shot from the right flank by goaltender Thomas Greiss at 14:56.
Brent Burns collected his first point for San Jose at 17:25 of the second period. Burns whipped a shot on net from the blueline that bounded off a defenseman to San Jose’s Michal Handzus in the low slot. Handzus’ quick pass to Torrey Mitchell resulted in an open-netter for Mitchell at the right post.
“It was quite an experience,” Burns said of his first game at HP Pavilion as a member of the home team.
“In the excitement, coming out of the Shark (through the clouds of smoke prior to the start of the game) was a little scarier than I thought. Couldn’t see anything for 15 feet – thought I was going to kill somebody.”
McLellan appeared satisfied with Burns’ first appearance in a pre-season game for San Jose.
“He had a good night and he’s going to get better. In time, Burns is going to be a very dynamic power play guy.”
San Jose accounted for the lone goal of the period in which the hosts had a 13-7 shots advantage. Center Andrew Murray scored for the second time in as many games when he swatted a rebound of his own shot off the left post past goalie Jeff Deslauriers at 18:15.
