In win, Marleau makes homeice return
Marleau records an assist while DeBoer hails home stand
The Sharks have won two consecutive games after an 04 start, and coach Peter DeBoer can’t wait for a chance to practice.
Tomas Hertl had a shorthanded goal and an assist as San Jose welcomed back Patrick Marleau to SAP Center with a 31 win over Calgary on Sunday.
Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc also scored, Logan Couture added two assists and Marleau one to enable goalie Martin Jones to win for the first time in four tries. He made 32 saves and spearheaded a 4for4 effort on the penalty kill.
“I don’t think the games have been perfect, we can still improve here,” Jones said. “But we’ve limited the highdanger turnovers.”
San Jose can catch its breath now with two days off before its next game Wednesday. It then has a game Saturday to conclude its homestand.
“I’m looking forward to having some time here to really dial in on practices and systems,” DeBoer said. “Four of five to start on the road — a couple against Vegas, in Nashville and in Chicago for their home opener — is not an easy start.”
Mistakes, subpar play and injuries combined to make it a slow break from the starting gate. And with the team struggling to score early, general manager Doug Wilson made the decision to sign Marleau, a free agent forward who seems to have given the entire franchise a boost.
Marleau played his first 19 seasons with the Sharks, but was with Toronto in 201718 and 201819.
“I think we’ve gotten a little bit better in every game,” DeBoer said. “Our team game is getting better. Adding Patty Marleau helps us. It slots guys in different spots.
“We’re getting guys back a little healthier, which slots guys back in their proper areas again.”
The Sharks scored the only two goals of the opening period despite being outshot 116.
Calgary’s Travis Hamonic fronted Meier in the crease, but the defenseman couldn’t prevent the Sharks forward from redirecting a feed from Couture past goalie Cam Talbot for a 10 lead at 3:04.
Calgary forward Elias Lindholm skated past Couture’s hard hockey stop on the goal line, which enabled the San Jose captain time to feather a pass into the crease.
Labanc scored his second of the season at 10:13 with a wrist shot over the glove of Talbot on a nifty giveandgo play with Hertl, who registered his first point of the season with the assist.
Sharks fans gave Marleau a standing ovation during a tribute on the video board during the game’s first TV timeout early in the first. Marleau quickly wiped a tear from his eye as he stood and acknowledged the emotional welcome back.
After the Flames trimmed the deficit to one on Lindholm’s redirection of T.J. Brodie’s shot from the right point at 6:43 of the second period, San Jose struck shorthanded.
Couture intercepted a Matthew Tkachuk pass at the San Jose blue line, and led a 2on1 break. When Couture was just about out of gas he found Hertl for a onetime blast from the midslot that found the back of the net at 18:08.
“Individually we still have some guys who have another level to get to, but I know they will,” DeBoer said. “We’re treading water and getting better and hopefully we can build on that.”
Briefly: Defenseman Tim Heed returned after missing four games with an upperbody injury. … Forward Lukas Radil, a recent scratch, replaced rookie Danil Yurtaykin, who joined defenseman Trevor Carrick as a healthy scratch. … Forward Marcus Sorensen missed his third straight with an undisclosed injury.