Has anyone in the NHL noticed that the San Jose Sharks have racked up 6 wins in a row? To be honest, I hope no one has. For years the Sharks have been dubbed an NHL powerhouse that just can’t win in the playoffs.
This season is different. Everyone around the NHL seems to be sleeping on the Sharks, and everyone outside the Bay Area is oblivious about what is happening in San Jose.
The Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin are no longer part of that oblivious group. They toured the Shark Tank tonight and were politely kicked to the curb and escorted back to San Francisco International Airport after being defeated 5-2 Wednesday evening.
The two teams split their season series each winning one game, and they will not meet again this season unless both teams happen to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Caps are currently in second place in the East, while the Sharks are atop the West with 57 points.
Here are some VERY PHYSICAL game highlights….
The Sharks took a 3-0 lead over the Capitals after the first two periods. Joe Pavelski started the scoring with 4:30 remaining in the first period. 1:15 later, Torrey Mitchell notched his first goal of the season, and his first since April 10th, 2008 against the Flames. It was also his first point of the year in 15 games.
Ryan Clowe made it 3-0 on a penalty shot in the second period, after defenseman Mike Green dragged him to the ice and both crashed into the net minder Michal Neuvirth.
Washington started their scoring 5 minutes into the third when Jason Chimera and Tom Poti assisted on Mike Knuble’s 7th goal of the season. The Capitals comeback was short lived however when just 2:18 later Joe Pavelski added his second goal of the season.
A Minute later Joe Thornton was dragged down and assessed a penalty shot, the first of his career. He converted up top with a wrister and the Sharks took a 5-1 lead. Alex Ovechkin would score later in the 3rd period for the Capitals, his 27th of the season.
Sharks Notes:
The two penalty shots marks the first time since February 11, 1982 that one team has had two penalty shots in a single game. It last occurred to Vancouver when they played at Detroit. That game ended in a 4-4 tie.
Sharks backup goaltender Thomas Greiss was chosen to be part of Team Germany in the upcoming Olympic games.
The Sharks have won 6 straight games. All games have been started by Evgeni Nabokov. He has not allowed more than two goals over that stretch and his save % is .943 over that span.
My 3 Stars of the Game:
1st Star – Lil Joe Pavelski – 2 Goals
2nd Star – Ryan Clowe – Goal, +2
3rd Star – Torrey Mitchell – Goal (First since 4/10/2008), +1