SANJOSE, Ca – The San Jose Sharks found a way to stay in the series with a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. In an action-filled game that went into overtime, the Sharks defeated the Ducks before a crowd of 17,496 at HP Pavilion. The first period started out with a dominating Sharks team. It was obvious they knew the seriousness of the need to get a win in this game, or be finished for the season. The Sharks captain, Joe Thornton managed to draw a penalty on Ryan Getzlaf for hooking. Then, during the power play, Thornton scored the first goal of the night, at 7:25 in to the period with assists by Patrick Marleau and Rob Blake. Thanks to the goal it was the first time the Sharks had scored first and managed to hold a lead at the end of the first period.
In the second period Devin Setoguchi scored his first goal of the series with assists from Jonathan Cheechoo and Thornton at 17:16 into the period. Setoguchi found the net as he skated around the backside, and poked the puck in under the pad of Hiller, putting the Sharks up 2-0. In the third period the Ducks were looking to get back into the game and at less than a minute into the period Scott Niedermayer passed to Andrew Ebbett who in turn passed to Ryan Carter for his first goal of the series. Then at 4:42 the Ducks tied the game with a goal by Corey Perry with assists from Scott Niedermayer and Ryan Getzlaf. Anaheim stayed in the game with Incredible netminding by Jonas Hiller, who after the first two goals by the Sharks was able to deflect everything that came near him. Hiller had 45 saves while Evgeni Nabokov had 22 saves. The two goals in the third period by the Ducks would force the game into sudden death overtime and put the Sharks magnificent season to the brink. During the first two minutes there were opportunities near both nets for the teams to score, but to no avail.
There was a close moment near the Ducks net when Cheechoo and Setoguchi were driving the puck to the net, when they fell, colliding with Hiller, and dislocating the net but no penalties were called. Another opportunity at the Sharks net, Nabokov was drawn out of position, but a Duck offender was not able to get the puck in the net. Then, at 6:02 into the overtime Hiller deflected a shot. Patrick Marleau went around the back of the net, and made a wrist shot at the net that was blocked again by Hiller. But, Marleau continued to jam the loose puck into the corner getting the goal. With the goal it would be the first line of the Sharks who would be successful in getting the win, 3-2, to stay alive in the series. Game six will take the teams back to Anaheim on Monday, April 27th at the Honda Center. Contact the writer at: shellie.lima@prohockeynews.com
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