2011 NHL Playoffs; Sharks Get off to Fast Start, Fend off Canucks
Antti Niemi may not be known as a third period goalie. He gave up three goals in the final period tonight and four last game.
Yet, the Sharks are still cruising along, with only a couple dents in their ship.
Patrick Marleau has saved more.
Marleau scored twice, Joe Thornton racked up three assists, and the Sharks held off the Canucks to get their first Western Conference finals win in their last nine tries.
Just 3:56 into the game, Marleau got the Sharks on the board after a great play by Thornton. Thornton had the puck behind the net, and he passed it to Marleau, who poked the puck through Luongo's legs.
Ryane Clowe made a big play for the Sharks just a little bit later when he got the puck in front of the net, moved it to the right, and fired past Luongo, who had now allowed two goals.
Marleau decided to tack on another goal for the Sharks, and his fifth goal in four games was a good one. He stole the puck from Vancouver, got a breakaway, and fired the puck into the right corner of the net. It was 3-0 after one period.
In the second, Vancouver had a great chance. They fired a slap shot at Niemi, but the star goalie reached out with his leg and stopped the puck. He made another huge save in the period, and a shutout was becoming more and more likely.
I guess we forgot the third period.
Alex Burrows cut the Sharks lead to two 1:09 into the third, ending any chance of San Jose's first shutout this postseason by hitting the back of the net. However, Dan Boyle answered for San Jose.
He was passing it back and forth with Marleau, and after doing this a couple times, Boyle decided to stop and shoot. Somehow, his weak shot got under Luongo, who fell backwards after he saw the puck in the net.
Once again, everyone thought the game was over. But Niemi isn't a third period goalie.
Dan Hamhuis scored his first of the postseason and Kevin Bieska scored his third goal of the series, but the Sharks wouldn't allow Vancouver to send the game into overtime.
For the eighth time this postseason, the Sharks had won a game by one goal. Now, they look ahead to Game 4, where a win puts them right back where they started, and a loss puts them on the brink of elimination.
Game 4 is on Sunday at 12 PM PT in San Jose.
Yet, the Sharks are still cruising along, with only a couple dents in their ship.
Patrick Marleau has saved more.
Marleau scored twice, Joe Thornton racked up three assists, and the Sharks held off the Canucks to get their first Western Conference finals win in their last nine tries.
Just 3:56 into the game, Marleau got the Sharks on the board after a great play by Thornton. Thornton had the puck behind the net, and he passed it to Marleau, who poked the puck through Luongo's legs.
Ryane Clowe made a big play for the Sharks just a little bit later when he got the puck in front of the net, moved it to the right, and fired past Luongo, who had now allowed two goals.
Marleau decided to tack on another goal for the Sharks, and his fifth goal in four games was a good one. He stole the puck from Vancouver, got a breakaway, and fired the puck into the right corner of the net. It was 3-0 after one period.
In the second, Vancouver had a great chance. They fired a slap shot at Niemi, but the star goalie reached out with his leg and stopped the puck. He made another huge save in the period, and a shutout was becoming more and more likely.
I guess we forgot the third period.
Alex Burrows cut the Sharks lead to two 1:09 into the third, ending any chance of San Jose's first shutout this postseason by hitting the back of the net. However, Dan Boyle answered for San Jose.
He was passing it back and forth with Marleau, and after doing this a couple times, Boyle decided to stop and shoot. Somehow, his weak shot got under Luongo, who fell backwards after he saw the puck in the net.
Once again, everyone thought the game was over. But Niemi isn't a third period goalie.
Dan Hamhuis scored his first of the postseason and Kevin Bieska scored his third goal of the series, but the Sharks wouldn't allow Vancouver to send the game into overtime.
For the eighth time this postseason, the Sharks had won a game by one goal. Now, they look ahead to Game 4, where a win puts them right back where they started, and a loss puts them on the brink of elimination.
Game 4 is on Sunday at 12 PM PT in San Jose.
Comments