The San Jose Sharks had a big opportunity to further distance themselves from one of their biggest division rivals on Friday night when they traveled South to take on the Anaheim Ducks.
The two teams have split the season series coming into this game, both being low-scoring affairs with each team recording a shutout at SAP Center. Unfortunately for San Jose, this one followed the storyline of the previous two matchups, but it was Anaheim who would find the lone goal of the game in securing a pivotal 1-0 victory over the Sharks.
It wasn’t the prettiest of games as there was little room to make any plays out on the ice. When each team got an opportunity with the man advantage, the respective penalty kills shut down the power plays. Anaheim’s number one ranked penalty kill was able to snap San Jose’s four-game streak of scoring at least one power play goal, holding the Sharks to 0-for-4 on the night.
The Sharks were able to match the Ducks effort, holding Anaheim’s power play with the dynamic duo of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to an 0-for-4 night as well.
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However, this game was decided in the third period when the Ducks were able to assert themselves over the Sharks. San Jose could not break out of their own zone, as Anaheim came at them in waves. If not for the exploits of goaltender Martin Jones, this could have been a two-or-three goal game.
Jones made 25 saves on the night, but he needed to make 26 stops for the Sharks on this night. The Ducks fourth line would get the only marker as Nate Thompson sent a feed from behind the net that found Mike Santorelli who was able to fire one off of Jones’ left-shoulder and into the top corner.
Jones was a little deep in his net on the play, but it was hard to fault him in this one as his teammates offered him very little support in the final frame.
The Sharks mustered a measly two shots in the third period after outshooting the Ducks 21-16 through the first two periods. They could not execute a simple break out pass all period which allowed Anaheim to apply constant pressure throughout.
The one Sharks player who was on top of his game besides Jones was Brent Burns who was all over the ice for San Jose. Burns led all skaters with 27:14 of ice time and firing a team-high four shots on net, which felt like 10.
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It was a tough loss for the Sharks who had a chance to open up a seven-point gap between themselves and the Ducks, while having two games in hand on the defending Pacific Division champs. Instead, the Sharks came out flat in the final period and it cost them two huge points in the standings.
San Jose now heads home for another big matchup against the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning as the Sharks look to re-establish themselves on home ice.