SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Sharks walked away with game number three of the Western Conference Round 1 finals, and lead the series 3-0 following an 8-1 win over the visiting Anaheim Ducks.
Logan Couture’s goal at 3:44 beat John Gibson in the net for San Jose’s first goal of the night. Mikkel Boedker took the puck and raced down the boards, then flipped it across the slot to Couture to redirect and finish the goal. Center Rickard Rakell evened the score at 13:40, when his shot beat Martin Jones off the post on a power play.
Tomas Hertl – File photo by Jack Lima
The Sharks really took off in the second period, as they scored four unanswered goals. Joonas Donskoi and Evander Kane skated towards the Ducks goal, two-on-one, and Kane slipped the puck back to Donskoi in front of the net for the finish only a 1:15 into the period. Less than three minutes later, Marcus Sorensen took a pass from Donskoi, after Ducks goalie Gibson committed to the near side, Sorensen dropped it in the far side. Eric Fehr’s goal put the Sharks up 4-1, at 13:43 when he skated in from the neutral zone, glided around several Ducks players, then wristed the puck up and under Gibson’s outstretched arm. The final goal of the period came with 3:11 remaining, off the stick of Tomas Hertl from in front of the net.
Joonas Donskoi – File photo by Jack Lima
At the opening of the third period, Anaheim put Ryan Miller in the net to try to change the momentum. About midway through the period, Joe Pavelski scored his first goal of the post season to put the Sharks up 6-1. Timo Meier made a shot towards the net that was saved by Ryan Miller in the net, but Pavelski found the rebound and knocked it to the back of the net.
Eric Fehr – File photo by Jack Lima
Logan Couture – File photo by Jack Lima
Things became chippy, and ultimately Ryan Getzlaf was given a 10-minute misconduct with less than nine minutes remaining in the game. Kane was waiting on the doorstep late in the period to seal the game at 7-1, when he tapped the puck just under Miller, and it trickled into the net. The goal was reviewed by the officials, but ultimately stood as called. One last power play goal off the stick of Chris Tierney from the slot to finish the game at 8-1
Martin Jones had 45 saves for the win in tonight’s game, a franchise record for post-season. Sharks are 4 for 8 on the power play. The Sharks will return for game four on Wednesday to try to sweep the round.
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