PATRICK MARLEAU’S TOP TEN MOMENTS AS A SHARK
In lieu of Patrick Marleau’s decision to sign a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs Sunday, let us reflect on his top-10 moments with the Sharks.
1. Marleau scores overtime winner against Detroit Red Wings.
The Sharks knocked off the defending Western Conference champions in 2010 thanks in large part to this overtime-winning goal from Patrick Marleau in Game 3 of the second round series. The goal allowed the Sharks to take a 3-0 series lead; they eventually eliminated the Red Wings in five games, advancing to the Western Conference Final for the second time in franchise history.
2. Marleau scores four goals in one period.
We didn’t have to dig too far back into the archives to find this one. Marleau tied an NHL record by becoming the 12th player in league history, and the first since Mario Lemieux in 1997, to score four goals in a period. His four goals in the third period of the Sharks bout with the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 23 of this year gave him 497 career tallies.
3. Marleau joins the 500-goal club.
Just 10days after Marleau’s unforgettable night in Denver, the 37-year-old forward made history again. Marleau became the 45th player in NHL history to record 500 career goals, notching the historic tally in Vancouver on Feb. 2.
4. Marleau reaches Stanley Cup Final for first time.
After 18 seasons in the league, Marleau and the Sharks finally reached the Stanley Cup Final last June after eliminating the Los Angeles Kings, the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference playoffs.
5. Sharks select Marleau with No. 2 pick in 1997 NHL Draft.
Marleau became the face of the franchise when the Sharks acquired him as a 17-year-old with the No. 2 pick in the 1997 NHL Draft. Ironically, the only player
FROM PAGE 1 selected before Marleau was future teammate Joe Thornton, who was drafted by the Boston Bruins. Check out Marleau and Thornton discussing their draft prospects as teenagers at the 1997 Stanley Cup Final:
6. Marleau becomes the Sharks alltime leader in goals and points.
Marleau passed Owen Nolan in the Sharks record books twice in a single week in 2007. First, he became the team’s all-time points leader on Jan. 4, passing the 451-point mark set by Nolan. Then, on Jan. 11, he notched his 207th career goal, giving him the most tallies in franchise history.
7. Marleau scores series-clinching goal in overtime.
The Sharks advanced to the second round of the playoffs in 2013 after Marleau allowed the team to sweep the Vancouver Canucks by scoring this overtime-winning goal in Game 4.
8. Marleau records his 1000th-career point.
Marleau became the 83rd player in NHL history to record 1,000-career points on Nov. 21, 2015, earning the secondary assist on a goal from defenseman Brent Burns.
9. Marleau scores his first NHL goal at age 18.
Marleau notched his first-career goal just 34days after his 18th birthday.
10. Marleau becomes the second player in NHL history to open a season with four-straight multi-goal games.
Marleau opened the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season on fire, notching two goals in each of his first four games to become the first player since Cy Denneny in 1917-18 to open a season with four-consecutive multigoal games.