Mar 29, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Stalock (32) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Blake Comeau (17) as Sharks center Tommy Wingels (57) defends during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The San Jose Sharks are heading home a deflated, disappointed hockey team. The Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins played another spirited hockey game, but it was the Penguins who outlasted San Jose in a 3-2 shootout victory. The loss means the Sharks ended their seven-game road trip with a 3-3-1 record and a virtual certainty that the postseason won’t be in their future.
It was an evenly played first period except for a span of 56 seconds when Pittsburgh capitalized on San Jose’s mistakes. First, it was Daniel Winnik who outworked Brent Burns behind the net and fed Patric Hornqvist for his 24th goal of the season.
Following a Taylor Fedun hooking penalty, a picture-perfect pass from Sidney Crosby found Chris Kunitz all alone as he one-timed his shot passed a sprawling Alex Stalock. Just like that, the Sharks found themselves down 2-0.
However, San Jose battled back in the second period with two of their own buoyed by an outstanding save by Stalock. Pittsburgh was primed to take a 3-0 advantage when Evgeni Malkin took a feed on a three-on-two and fired one that a sliding Stalock was able to stop with his blocker.
The Sharks would build momentum after that spectacular save and the fourth line would get San Jose on the board. Justin Braun would fire one from the point that Ben Smith tipped home for his seventh of the season, and second goal in a San Jose uniform. The Sharks would even things up on their second power play opportunity of the period on a perfect rush that saw Burns feed it wide to Patrick Marleau who slipped a pass into Logan Couture who beat Marc-Andre Fleury for his 25th goal of the season.
According to Darin Stephens, this was the third season in which Couture has eclipsed the 25-goal plateau and first since the 2011-12 season. It’s been another solid season for Couture who’s gone under-the-radar with everything surrounding the Sharks. His goal tied him with Joe Thornton for second on the team with 62 points.
Couture with his 3rd career 25+ goal season, first since 2011-12, when he had 31
— Darin Stephens (@SharksStats) March 30, 2015
The third period saw more back-and-forth action, but each goaltender stood tall. Both teams would squander their power play opportunities, and David Perron nearly ended it with a glorious chance as time expired but he fired it wide of a diving Stalock.
San Jose would be given a golden opportunity to win the game in the overtime session as Hornqvist would high-stick Burns and drew blood which would allow the Sharks a four-minute, four-on-three power play. Thornton almost ended it for San Jose as he hit the post, but Fleury would make a couple of big stops to send the game to a shootout.
This time, Pittsburgh would need only two shooters as Perron and Crosby scored to give the Penguins the shootout victory and deal a final, crushing blow to the Sharks as their road trip wrapped up.
It was a microcosm of the season for San Jose as they blew plenty of chances to win the game but couldn’t convert. Desperate teams find a way to score on that overtime power play, but for the Sharks, it was close but no cigar.
San Jose now heads home wondering about a road trip gone awry. The Sharks will have plenty to ponder about what could have been, but the bottom line, when the chips were on the table, San Jose came up empty.
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