SAN JOSE
– The San Jose Sharks rallied past the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
2-1 Monday to build a six-point edge over Anaheim as the five-game
series between the clubs concluded at HP Pavilion.
SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks rallied past the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2-1 Monday to build a six-point edge over Anaheim as the five-game series between the clubs concluded at HP Pavilion.
Consecutive 2-1 wins over Anaheim within a 30-hour period left San Jose with 37 points in seventh place in the Western Conference. The Sharks are two points behind Los Angeles, Calgary and Colorado, two ahead of eighth-place Nashville. The Mighty Ducks are 12th with 31 points.
San Jose takes on the first-place Kings in a home-and-home series beginning in San Jose tonight and continuing in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The Sharks finished with two goals for the eighth straight game.
“It’s another win,” downplayed Sharks coach Ron Wilson of the team’s struggle to reach the three-goal plateau recently. “We had enough offense to win.”
Marco Sturm and Jonathan Cheechoo provided the San Jose goals, off-setting Anaheim’s goal from Stanislav Chistov to begin the scoring 2:29 into the second period.
Sturm netted his 11th goal of the season by redirecting a shot from the right point by Kyle McLaren 16:04 into the second period.
McLaren’s clearing pass as a Shark penalty expired set up the game-winner in the third period.
The high pass was gloved down by Patrick Marleau, who made a slick move past Anaheim’s Andy McDonald, then backhanded the puck to Cheechoo for the 10-fooer past goalie Martin Gerber 14:06 into the third period.
“I was just trying to get it out of the zone,” McLaren said of his second assist. “I wanted to put the puck in a general area – maybe Patty gets it, maybe he doesn’t.”
“That was a nice play, putting it in the only place you could want,” said Wilson. “Patty made an unbelieveable play.”
“(McDonald) was stepping up, so I was able to get around,” Marleau said of the move to create the 2-on-1.
San Jose returns to the ice this weekend with two games against Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles.
“We’re within striking distance of them now,” captain Alyn McCauley said of upcoming series.
