Anaheim inches closer to San Jose
The Anaheim Ducks appear determined to make it a race for the Pacific Division.
Never mind that the visitors played the night before while the hosts were idle, the Ducks came into a sold-out SAP Center on Saturday and dictated play en route to a 2-1 win over the Sharks.
“We had a lot of chances, a lot of chances,” Sharks forward Joel Ward said. “We just couldn’t crack it home. We just came up short. I think we did everything pretty good, we just couldn’t score.”
Anaheim moved to four points behind the Sharks after completing a 3-0-2 series domination of San Jose. Backup goalie Jonathan Bernier continued his stellar work with injured John Gibson on the sideline. Bernier made 33 saves and his teammates provided just enough support.
“I didn’t like our first 10 minutes, but after that I thought it was a playofftype atmosphere,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “We had enough opportunities to get three or four tonight. We didn’t, that’s a credit to their goalie. But we did a lot of good things.”
The Sharks lost two in a row in regulation for the first time since Jan. 11 and Jan. 14. In addition, San Jose lost the services of top-line left wing Jannik Hansen just past the midway point of the final period. The trade deadline acquisition went straight to the locker room with 9:45 left in regulation, and medical staff followed behind.
“I don’t have an update yet,” DeBoer said, and repeated when a followup question was asked.
San Jose pulled goalie Martin Jones with 2:28 left in regulation, but couldn’t manage another shot despite employing the extra attacker.
“We were better tonight than (in the previous game) against St. Louis,” Sharks goal-scorer Logan Couture said. “Every game you take positives. Obviously they’re playing back-to-backs, and in that third period we had a lot of Grade-A chances. We should score.”
Jakob Silfverberg’s breakaway goal at 13:29 accounted for the only scoring in the middle period and stood as the game-winning goal.
Silfverberg blocked Paul Martin’s attempted drive just inside the Anaheim blue line, broke free behind the San Jose defense, and scored with a wrist shot past Jones.
“It’s a tough break to give up that one to that guy with that shot,” Couture said. “He picks his corners pretty good.”
“Obviously I made the mistake on the one that cost us a goal, but I think the way we played is the way we want to play, especially in the second and the third,” Martin added. “We just weren’t able to find the back of the net.”
The Ducks and Sharks traded goals in the first period, which was played more in the San Jose end.
It took just 39 seconds for Anaheim trade deadline acquisition Patrick Eaves to whip his 24th goal of the season over the left glove of Jones after a feed from the opposite boards from Ryan Getzlaf glanced off the stick of Joe Pavelski in the slot.
The Sharks cashed in on a 5-on-3 power play late in the period when Couture wristed his 25th goal past Bernier. Joe Thornton had the setup from behind the net 41 seconds after Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler gave the hosts a two-man advantage.