‘We just have to play better’
DETROIT — The Sharks wrapped up a five-game road trip Saturday night, and it showed in a 3-0 loss to Detroit in their final visit to Joe Louis Arena — the Red Wings will move into a new building next season.
“We were late everywhere tonight, and when you are a step behind a team like that, they are going to take advantage,” San Jose coach Pete DeBoer said. “We talked about their transition game, and then we gave away the puck and played right into their hands.”
Jimmy Howard made 30 saves and Gustav Nyquist scored twice for Detroit. Andreas Athanasiou also scored for Detroit, which won its fourth straight after losing its first two games.
Goalie Martin Jones stopped 29 shots for the Sharks, who have lost three of four.
“We just aren’t dedicated to defense the way we were last year,” Logan Couture said. “We’re not playing well, and we’re lucky to be 3-3-0 at this point. We just have to play better. That’s all it is.”
Nyquist scored twice in the second period to give Detroit a 2-0 lead. He has three goals on the season. He beat Jones 4:14 into the period from the right circle to complete a 2-on-1 rush. Nyquist’s next goal came with 4:50 left; his shot from the inside part of the right circle went off Jones and into the net.
San Jose’s Brent Burns hit the goal post on a backhand shot as the second period ended. Red Wings defenseman Mike Green then blocked Joe Thornton’s shot from the bottom of the left circle with an open Detroit net behind him 4:36 into the third.