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The Sharks explode on Avalanche to take series lead
By Dave Fowkes April 22, 2010 |
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(San Jose, CA) -- Two rookies and a veteran goalie helped the Sharks finally break out against the Avalanche as San Jose explodes for a 5-0 win in game 5 to take a 3-2 series edge. Logan Couture scored twice and Dwight Helminen added a goal for the Sharks while Evgeni Nabokov stopped 28 shots for the shutout. Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau added goals as well as the Sharks out shot the Avalanche 37-28. “Those types of players have really have had an impact on our playoffs thus far,” head coach Todd McLellan said. “In that way they were rewarded with some goals. They need to continue to bring that energy. I thought Scotty Nichol’s line again really started our team and brought everybody into it. The young guys played with a lot of discipline and really found a way to contribute.” Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson made 29 saves and gave up four goals before being replaced midway through the third period. The game looked much the same. The Sharks seemed to control puck play for much of the first two periods, but for the longest time they continued to struggle against Anderson. But finally, they burst the dam, and when they did, they just kept scoring. The Sharks got three goals in the second period and two in the third en route to the blowout. “That is our plan,” Pavelski said. “We are going to break through and wear them down. I think it showed a little bit tonight. We finally scored a few on the power play was good to see. You expect the one goal game, especially the way this series has gone, so to get a few is nice.” Pavelski said the team was also fired up by the home ice advantage. “That was awesome,” Pavelski said. “We know we are capable of something like that. The atmosphere in the building after we got a couple of goals was great.” The Sharks controlled the puck during the first period. Most of the action was in the Colorado zone, the Sharks out shot Colorado 12-2, but could not score. It took a rookie willing to pay the price to get the first goal. Couture was battling right in front of the net and was able to back hand a rebound from a Dany Heatley shot into the goal. The crowd erupted in gratitude. “You are not going to score if you don’t go to the net,” Couture said. It seems so simple yet it is something the Sharks have not always been doing. Pavelski broke through on the power play. As the Sharks passed the puck around the blue line, Anderson lost his balance sliding from one side of the net to the other. Pavelski saw it and fired a shot from the blue line. Anderson dived to try and get back into the net but could not in time. Sharks went up 2-0. The Sharks made it 3-0 on a goal from another rookie. Scot Nichol led the break into the offensive zone and then held up. He then passed the puck to the right of net hard off of the boards. The puck bounced right back to Helminen who beat the defender and was able to flick the puck past a surprised Anderson. “It was a great play by Scotty Nichol on the rush,” Helminen said. “Then when he pulled up he saw Anderson cheating up a little bit so he thought he would put one off the wall and it turned into a great play.” The Sharks again dominated the period, this time they dominated the scoreboard as well. They outshot Colorado 17-9 in the period and they went to the second intermission up 3-0. Midway through the third period, Couture got his second goal. OOn a nice charge into the zone that drew a pair of defenders, Ryan Clowe got the shot off. Anderson did a kick save and Couture was right there to bury the rebound. 4-0 Sharks. “Clowe made a great play on the second goal and the puck dropped right on my stick and I could not have planned to be in a better spot,” Couture said. That would do it for Anderson. Peter Budaj took over in the net for the remainder of the game. Cody McLeod was called for charging, a five minute penalty to give the Sharks an unneeded advantage. Marleau got his first goal of the playoffs on the extended power play. Heatley’s fanned slightly on the shot but the puck did slide to the side of the net where Marleau was able to tip it in for the 5-0 lead. Game 6 will be played in Denver on Saturday at 7pm pdt. GAME NOTES: This was Nabokov’s 7th career shutout. The goals for Couture and Helminen were their first ever NHL playoff goals. |
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