Antti Niemi stopped 35 of 37 shots and made some big saves along the way to help the Sharks improve to 4-0-1 on the season. Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski led the way offensively with a goal and a pair of helpers each and Joe Thornton recorded his 1200th NHL point. While the Devils outshot the Sharks 37-32 it was team teal that came out victorious in a good game of hockey.
It was another high shots against game for San Jose, which hopefully isn't going to become a trend, and Niemi was forced to make some monster saves as the defense couldn't slow a good effort by the Devils. When the Sharks went up 3-0 on a goal by Patrick Marleau it seemed like they would continue to play the game that got them there, but that wasn't the case for long.
A Mike Cammalleri goal on a horrible change by the Sharks made it 3-1 and McLellan & Co. immediately reverted to protecting what was left of the lead. The bad change caused the goal, not the Sharks continuing on with what got them up 3-0, so I thought McLellan panicked slightly when the switch happened. The result? Exactly what you saw against LA/WPG/WSH: a shift in control. Thanks to Niemi, though, only one more Devils goal would find the mesh.
Five Thoughts On The Game
Joe Thornton
Jumbo Joe was a prominent player in the game and could have ended up a few points over 1200 if a few things had gone his way. Nonetheless, Thornton became the 46th player in NHL history to record 1200 career points. Not bad for a guy that was run out of Boston shortly after a playing the playoffs with injured ribs and forever labeled as a playoff ghost. Thank you, Boston.
Logan Couture
I said in yesterday’s post that all Couture needed to do was continue to play the way he’s been playing and things would start to go his way. The Sharks star notched a goal and two assists tonight, getting in the goal column for the first time this season. Couture’s been one of the Sharks best forwards so far this season but, until tonight, hadn't received any luck from the hockey gods. There’s a big season ahead for Couture and tonight was the shotgun start.
Antti Niemi
Back and forth the goalie battle goes. Niemi put forth his best performance of the season in the win and quickly erased the 5 goal game against Washington from the minds of everyone. Niemi made a pile of great saves on quality Devils chances but none more important than on Adam Henrique as the Devils young star picked up a nice saucer pass from Jaromir Jagr and one-timed it towards the Sharks goalie. If that goes in its 3-3 and the game is completely changed. Consider the goalie battle tied again.
The Fourth Line
This line is awful, plain and simple. When they’re on the ice the puck is in the defensive zone 95% of the time. They've been given chances to succeed when McLellan questionably puts them out after a goal and they've failed. You need to roll four lines in the West and this is an area that needs to be addressed. Maybe it will be addressed when some players get back from injury but right now it isn't working well, and that's not Eriah Hayes' fault.
Power Play
The power play was impressive. The Sharks ran the man advantage like a top PP team tonight. They moved the puck on the outside just enough to shift defenders and then directed the puck at the net, creating quality chances. Their reward was two power play tallies on four opportunities. If they continue to run the power play like this then they will be a top PP team this year. The chances will continue to come if they minimize the play along the outside and actually send rubber toward the cage.
Another road game, and another two points. San Jose now has 7 of a possible 8 points in their first four road games. That’s an important statistic with a road heavy start to the year. There isn’t much time to celebrate as the Sharks are in New York to face the red-hot Rick Nash and the Rangers for an afternoon tilt today.
Milestone Watch:
Patrick Marleau is now three assists away from 500.
Brent Burns is now three assists away from 200, still two goals away from 100.
Thanks for reading.