Benn Ferriero and Jamie McGinn scored goals in the final 15
minutes Friday as the San Jose Sharks turned back the visiting
Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 at sold-out HP Pavilion. The Sharks embark
on a nine-game road trip starting Sunday against the St. Louis
Blues.
Benn Ferriero and Jamie McGinn scored goals in the final 15 minutes Friday as the San Jose Sharks turned back the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The Sharks embark on a nine-game road trip starting Sunday against the St. Louis Blues.
The Blackhawks, carrying a six-game losing streak, pulled into a 3-3 tie at 2:15 of the third period when Bryan Bickell lined his fifth goal of the season inside the right post.
San Jose, with a two-game losing streak, rallied with a pair of close-range goals.
Brad Winchester keyed the go-ahead score when he rushed to the Chicago net to control a loose puck. Winchester moved to the endboards before turning to send a pass to Ferriero at the edge of the crease for the jam shot at 5:40.
McGinn exhibited deft hands in netting his 12th goal of the campaign at 14:04. Chicago’s Andrew Shaw earned a boarding penalty at 12:36. When Ryane Clowe spotted McGinn with inside position at the right post, Clowe’s pass allowed McGinn to turn and lift a shot over goaltender Corey Crawford’s shoulder at 14:04.
Both teams brought a strong record when leading after two periods this season into Friday’s game. The Blackhawks were 21-0-2 taking a lead into the third, while the Sharks sported a 20-1-3 mark in the same situation.
San Jose came out of the second period with a lead, 3-2. Chicago fell behind 2-0 after one period, only to regroup for a 2-2 tie on a pair of rookie Marcus Kruger goals. Joe Thornton’s goal 15:43 into the second pushed the Sharks into the lead for the start of the third.
The Sharks struck for two power play goals in the first period.
After Blackhawk Michael Frolic was whistled for a four-minute high sticking of Joe Pavelski, the Sharks needed one minute to take the lead. Logan Couture pounced on a rebound off Corey Crawford, then speed behind the net to spot an advancing Justin Braun for a one-timer from the left circle at 1:58.
When five two-minute roughing penalties resulted in another San Jose power play at 11:09, San Jose made it 2-0 within 27 seconds.
Couture’s hard shot from the left circle created a long rebound into the slot. An opportune Dan Boyle one-timed the shot past Crawford for his fifth goal of the season.
Kruger, playing in his 52nd NHL game, produced his fourth and fifth career goals in the second period for the Blackhawks.
Kruger used the same method on both scoring plays, setting up at the front edge of the San Jose crease and turning a short rebound into a scoring opportunity.
When defenseman Nick Leddy’s low shot from the blueline created a short rebound, Kruger was able to reach the puck and jam it past goaltender Antti Niemi at the 6:55 mark.
Three minutes later, Kruger was in position to see Brent Seabrook’s long shot turn into a rebound at the edge of the crease. Kruger moved along the crease and backhanded the puck past Niemi at 9:55.
The Sharks received a break at 15:43 on a San Jose three-on-two rush toward Crawford.
Pavelski and Marleau missed a chance at a two-on-one, but the wide pass allowed Thornton to gain control of the puck. The captain moved toward the endboards before shoving a pass toward the slot to Pavelski. Blackhawk Dylan Olsen swept his stick to try to intercept the pass, but instead whipped the puck between Crawford’s pads for the 3-2 San Jose lead.
