The San Jose Sharks broke the back of the host Edmonton Oilers in the first period of their 2013 NHL home opener Tuesday, January 22.
The guests let fly a barrage of 18 shots, while giving up just eight. Is it any wonder with a 6-1 deficit, the Oilers not only pulled Devan Dubnyk but are now interested in acquiring Roberto Luongo according to Bob McKenzie via the TSN Radio Twitter feed?
The Sharks got their first goal on an early 5-on-3. Just as he ended Sunday's game against the Calgary Flames, Dan Boyle put home a shot the point—this time one-timing a great touch pass from Joe Pavelski.
San Jose was not done on that power play. Logan Couture added a 30-ft. snap shot 73 seconds later to widen the lead to 2-0.
Brad Stuart got called for a questionable interference 3:19 later. The talented Oilers only need 36 seconds to cash in.
Sam Gagner feathered a pass in front of the crease from wide on his left of the goal to Nail Yakupov wide to the right, who one-timed his first NHL goal.
But Patrick Marleau had an answer 97 seconds later. Stuart kept the puck in and cycled it to Joe Thornton behind the net. When he got the puck into the slot, Marleau was there to put home the first even-strength goal of the game. Just over a minute later, he added another power play goal, also from Thornton.
Over seven minutes lapsed before the next goal, when Couture somehow beat the 6 ft., 7 in. Dubnyk high. Marc-Edouard Vlasic added a slapshot goal 40 seconds later to cap off the Sharks scoring.
Edmonton out-shot San Jose 17-9 in the second period thanks to a much higher urgency level. However, the Sharks remained solid until back-to-back penalties by Vlasic and Boyle left them in a 5-on-3, allowing Edmonton to score 26 seconds later. The Sharks blocked the only other three shot attempts in the final minute of 5-on-4, and went into the final stanza in command.
The goal was the first by under 20 Team USA blue line standout Justin Schultz. That made him the 78th player to get his NHL first goal against San Jose and the second in the game.
From there they slowed the game down, with five shots on goal allowed for each team. One of them was an even-strength goal early enough in the third to make things briefly interesting. But in the end their performance rated as high as could be expected.
The key to this win was puck possession. San Jose won six more faceoffs, had eight fewer giveaways and five more takeaways. They finished with only four more shots and two more on goal in those 19 extra possessions, but managed to register three more hits and another three-goal victory in Alberta.
San Jose Sharks Examiner three stars of the game:
- Patrick Marleau: 2 G, 1 A, +1, 5 SOG (9 attempts), 1 H and 1-for-2 on draws
- Logan Couture: 2 G, 1 A, +1, 2 SOG (4 att) and 7-for-14 on draws
- Joe Thornton: 3 A, +1, 1 H, 1 T and 6-for-10 on draws
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