Sharks sunk shorthanded
Lafferty’s 2 SH goals lead Blackhawks past San Jose for first win of season
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sam Lafferty scored short-handed goals on back-to-back penalties in the second period to give coach Luke Richardson his first career win in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.
“Just kind of good bounces,” Lafferty said. “Right place, right time and good work by all the PK guys.”
Jonathan Toews also scored in the second period as the Blackhawks scored three times in a span of 3:14 to erase a two-goal deficit.
Jason Dickinson had a goal and two assists in his debut for Chicago and Taylor Raddysh also scored to give the Blackhawks their first win in three games this season. Petr Mrazek made 24 saves.
“We were really good the first half of the first period and then I think we thought it was coming maybe a little too easy,” Richardson
said. “We took the foot off the pedal and had a couple scrambling d-zones they ended up capitalizing on.
“We kind of went to the dressing room after the first and just chatted with the guys. Credit to all the leaders in that room. I didn’t say too much.”
Nico Sturm and Erik Karlsson scored for the Sharks, who have lost the first four games of the season for the third time in franchise history. Kaapo Kahkonen made 20 saves.
“I think we have more character in this room than then we show on the ice,” Karlsson said.
San Jose was in good shape after the first period before a turnover and a shoddy power-play led to another loss for first-year Sharks coach David Quinn.
Toews got it started after Mario Ferraro turned it over trying to get out of the Sharks’ defensive zone. He got past Karlsson and beat Kahkonen for his second goal of the season.
Then with Andreas Athanasiou in the box for holding, Jason Dickinson set up Lafferty alone in front for the game-tying shorthanded goal.