“Hits and Misses” for Avalanche at Sharks 3/1/11

Result:  Avalanche 1, SHARKS 2  {Shootout}

San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi makes a glove save durning Tuesday night's game against Colorado. Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports.

HITS

Ryane Clowe – For the second straight game, Clowe won the game for the Sharks in a shootout and the critical second point.  This time, Clowe was the only player to score in the shootout and he was the first shooter.

Antti Niemi – The “NHL Second Star” for the month of February showed why the Sharks rewarded him Tuesday morning with a new four-year contract extension worth $15.8 million.  Niemi stopped 18-out-of-19 shots and was a perfect three-for-three in the shootout and is now six-for-six in his last two shootout appearances.

Joe Thornton – The Sharks captain tied the game at 1-1 with 2:58 left in the third period off a deflection of a Jason Demers slapshot.  With the Sharks being aggressive on the forecheck, Thornton passed the puck out from behind the Avalanche net out to Demers, who fired a slapshot from the blue-line.  Demers’ shot was going wide until the puck ricocheted off of Thornton’s stick, who was standing at the side of the goal crease, and into the net.  The goal was Thornton’s 16th of the season and his 13th career goal against the Avalanche in 32 career games.

Devin Setoguchi – Setoguchi extended his point streak to five games as he was credited with the second assist on Thornton’s goal.

Torrey Mitchell/Joe Pavelski/Kyle Wellwood Line – This line was easily the Sharks best line of the night and most consistent as the trio generated the most scoring chances for the Sharks.  While the trio may be undersized physically, they more than make up for it with their heart and grit when on the ice, two things that cannot be taught or coached.

Sharks Team – It was clear as crystal to anyone watching the game that the Sharks did not bring their “A-game.”  Luckily for the Sharks, their “B-game” was just good enough to grit-out a hard fought game for two points and extend their winning streak to a season high seven games.  Also, the Sharks remain in first place of the Pacific Division and third overall in the Western Conference standings.

MISSES

Sharks Team – While it is a hit that the Sharks won, got the two points and extended the winning streak to seven games, that doesn’t excuse their perplexing, baffling and sometimes lackadaisical play on home ice against an Avalanche team that had one win and three points in their last 14 games {1-12-1}.  The Sharks have to be careful these last 18 games of the season not to fall victim to “trap games” where they play a team that they should easily beat but instead, struggle and cost themselves points, which they can ill-afford in the log-jammed Western Conference.

Power Play – Two games without Dan Boyle anchoring the Power Play and two games of the Sharks Power Play being atrocious.  The Sharks Power Play was 0-for-4 against the Avalanche and are 0-for-6 their last two games, both of which Boyle has been out due to injury.

Erik Johnson Goal – Johnson’s goal should have never happened.  With the Avalanche on a Power Play early in the third period as the result of Sharks defenseman Niclas Wallin being called for “holding the stick,” Demers attempted a weak backhand shot to clear the zone that was stopped at the blue-line by Johnson, who skated to the point and quickly snapped a wrist shot that floated past Niemi at 1:18 of the period to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.  It never fails that when the Penalty Kill unit fails to clear the puck out of their own zone, the puck ends up in the back of their net.

“Hits and Misses” for Avalance at Sharks 2/19/11

Result:  Avalanche 0, SHARKS 4

San Jose Sharks Devin Setoguchi scores a goal on Colorado Avalanche goalie Petr Budaj. Photo courtesy of sharks.nhl.com

HITS

Devin Setoguchi – Fans at the Shark Tank were treated to history as Setoguchi recorded his first career Hat-Trick. Setoguchi’s first goal came at 6:29 of the first period on another awesome individual effort as he took a beautiful pass up the seam from Jason Demers, split the Avalanche defense {including newly acquired Erik Johnson}, faked shooting on his forehand and scored on his backhand, passed Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj, to give the Sharks an early 1-0 lead.  At 14:54 of the first period, Setoguchi scored again, this time on the Power Play, as he banged home the puck off an Ian White blue-line slapshot rebound that bounced perfectly off the end-boards to him {Setoguchi}.  Late in the third period at 18:38, Setoguchi got the Hat-Trick when he beat Budaj again on a breakaway after winning a battle for the puck along the boards in the neutral zone.  The goals gave Setoguchi 15 for the season and five in five career games vs. Budaj.

Antti Niemi – Niemi stopped all 25 Avalanche shots for his 12th career shutout and fifth shutout this season.  Niemi was outstanding again, especially in the second period when the Avalanche picked up their intensity and totally outplayed the Sharks.  Luckily for the Sharks, Niemi stood on his head and made sure the Sharks went into the locker-room for intermission with their three goal lead still intact.

Ryane Clowe – Clowe was the only other Sharks player to score tonight.  His Power Play goal at 16:38 of the first period was his 16th goal of the season and came off a broken play.  Clowe attempted to pass the puck over to Logan Couture, who assisted on the goal with Joe Thornton, but an Avalanche defender broke the pass up.  Unfortunately for the Avalanche, the puck deflected back to Clowe and with the puck on his stick tape, Clowe buried the puck home upstairs to give the Sharks a 3-0 lead.

Ian White – In his first game in teal, White registered a point as he assisted on Setoguchi’s Power Play goal, which I still believe was an intentional pass from White and not a shot {watch the replay}.  In addition, White had a very long day as at 5:30 a.m. pacific time {8:30 a.m. eastern}, White was at a Carolina airport to catch a flight out to San Jose to join his new team.

Special Teams – After an 0-for-12 Power Play slump, the Sharks went 2-for-3 tonight with the man advantage and are now 3-for-4 in their last four Power Play attempts.  Even better, the Penalty Killers were a perfect 3-for-3 when short-handed.

MISSES

Scott Nichol Injured – With the Sharks short-handed in the first period, Nichol left the game with what appeared to be a hand injury.  Replays showed that Nichol hit the boards when attempting to put a hit on an Avalanche player and as soon as the whistle blew, Nichol skated right off the ice and into the Sharks locker-room.  No update was given during the game on the severity of the injury.  Hopefully the injury is nothing serious as Nichol is a key player for the Sharks with his hustle and gritty style of play.

2nd Period – This period was not the best 20-minutes of hockey the Sharks have played recently.  The Sharks seemed too complacent with their three goal lead and really let off the gas pedal.  As a result, the Avalanche not only picked up their intensity, but clearly outplayed the Sharks for those 20-minutes.  The Avalanche did everything right that period except score, which the Sharks can thank Niemi for.

MISCELLANEOUS

White was acquired Friday from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a second round selection in the 2012 NHL Draft. In addition, the Sharks sent defenseman Derek Joslin to the Hurricanes in a separate deal.