Sharks rely on experience to beat Canadiens
San Jose’s 3-1 victory Sunday was team’s 12th in last 13 games against Montreal
May the more desperate team win. That was the script for Sunday’s matchup between the Canadiens and the San Jose Sharks, and it was the visitors who played with more desperation as they defeated the Canadiens 3-1. “We knew they were going to be hungry and they were better in the first period,” said defenceman Jeff Petry. “As the game went on, we got better, but we have to be better at the start. We had won one of out of six and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be desperate as well to get points and move up in the standings. For the record, the Canadiens now have one win in their last seven (1-4-2) and they are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. That’s because they beat the New York Rangers 5-2 Saturday. The Canadiens and the Rangers each have 29 points, but the Canadiens have the edge because they have played one fewer game. San Jose has won 12 of the last 13 games between these two teams. Petry scored the only Montreal goal, but he also contributed to the slow start, which saw Montreal being outshot 10-1 and trailing 2-0 midway through the first period. Justin Braun opened the scoring at 2:55 when he intercepted a crossice pass by Petry and went in alone on Carey Price. “It’s on me, it was my fault,” Petry said. “I kind of hesitated and the defenceman read the play. I took an extra split-second and he read it and stepped in front. When I looked at it, I guess I should have chipped it into the neutral zone, played it safe.” San Jose’s second goal came on a 5-on-3 power play and the patience shown by the Sharks illustrated Montreal coach Claude Julien’s observation the Sharks’ experience was the difference in this game. With a two-man advantage, most teams fire away and hunt for rebounds. But San Jose moved the puck around the Montreal zone for 40 seconds before Brent Burns found an opening in the high slot. Killing a 5-on-3 disadvantage at any time is a daunting task, but it’s made more difficult when you’re facing two Norris Trophy winners in Burns and Erik Karlsson and forwards Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture. “When you look at tonight, I think if you take away the first period people are going to say you played a good second, played a good third,” Julien said. “We just need to grow and become a better team as far as learning how to win and being ready to play every night from the drop of the puck. They played yesterday (afternoon), they played in Ottawa, they travelled two hours to get here. We played here last night. There was no advantage for anybody tonight, none whatsoever. So it should have been a fair situation for both teams. “They came out much better than we did,” Julien added. “They’ve got an experienced team, guys that have been to the playoffs, to the finals and all that stuff. We need
It’s on me, it was my fault. I kind of hesitated and the defenceman read the play. I took an extra split-second and he read it and stepped in front.
to learn to do those kind of things. We need to be ready to play just like they were and that’s part of the team I guess growing and becoming better. There’s a lot of young guys still and you hope that you can learn from those situations and become better at starting games like we should have tonight.” The most experienced player for the Canadiens, defenceman Shea Weber, did his part. He turned in another 25-minute performance and hasn’t been on the ice for an even-strength goal in the three games since he returned from foot and knee surgeries. And, while they ’ve only been together for two games, it appears Brett Kulak has earned the right to play alongside Weber.