|
 Donskoi put on a dazzling move to follow a Joe Pavelski shootout
goal and San Jose goalie Martin Jones denied a pair of Oilers as the
Sharks won back-to-back games at home for the first time this season
with a 2-1 victory over Edmonton.
"I've seen them in practice," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said of
Donskoi's moves. "It was a no-brainer to throw him in there. You
never know how a guy is going to react under the pressure but he
delivered. He was great."
The Sharks did not play past regulation at home during the first
half of their season schedule, and required a shootout to decide a
game only once this season -- their fourth game overall at New
Jersey.
"I can't believe we're halfway through the season and hadn't had
one," DeBoer said of his team playing past regulation at home. "We
had two great moves and two great saves."
The Oilers, meanwhile, tried as they might to give former Sharks
coach Todd McLellan a victory during his initial return to the city
where he coached the previous seven seasons. In the end, however, it
was a seventh straight loss on the road (0-4-3).
"I know that team well and for us to play the way we did we have to
pleased," McLellan said. "It's still important to get the points,
but the execution was good."
The buzz afterward, however, was the backhand deke Donskoi put on
Edmonton's Cam Talbot to leave the goalie on one post while the
Finnish rookie tucked a forehand into the empty net at the opposite
post.
"I think he was maybe one of the best in Europe last year," DeBoer
said of Donskoi's shootout prowess. "The thing he has going for him
is they don't really have a book on him over here for the most part.
There is so much pre-scouting done now in the shootout. I'm sure
they wouldn't have anything on him and that gives him a little bit
of an advantage."
A quick search on the internet also provides evidence Donskoi isn't
a one-trick pony. He's got a couple more clever moves at his
disposal.
"Oh yeah, and I've seen them all in practice," Sharks forward Joe
Thornton said.
Jones, meanwhile, stopped Edmonton forwards Jordan Eberle and Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins in the shootout.
Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Oilers winger Nail Yakupov
scored the regulation goals for their respective teams.
Each team managed four shots on goal during a scoreless 3-on-3
overtime. Jones made a blocker save on Edmonton defenseman Andrej
Sekera in close with 37.6 seconds left.
San Jose defenseman Brent Burns fired a puck behind Edmonton goalie
Cam Talbot, but that came a second after the horn.
The Sharks had a late power play, but failed to convert on their
fourth straight man-advantage. Burns had a point blank shot denied
by Talbot, who also gloved away another effort from the slot later
by Vlasic.
[to top of second column] |
The Sharks outshot Edmonton 33-21 through regulation as center Logan
Couture led the way with a career-high 11.
Edmonton scored the only goal of the second period, matching San
Jose's earlier score by converting on an odd-man break.
With Vlasic caught behind the Edmonton goal line, Oilers defenseman
Justin Schultz forwarded a puck that struck the skate of linesman
Brian Mach. That allowed left winger Lauri Korpikoski to gather the
puck with a head of steam.
San Jose defenseman Justin Braun failed to prevent Korpikoski's
elevated pass, and Yakupov one-timed his third goal of the season
past Jones at 8:02. Yakupov returned after missing the previous 22
games due to an ankle injury.
"It was fun to play today," Yakupov said. "I was fresh I guess and
so hungry for the game that I was trying to create some chances and
waiting for a chance. I happened to get one tonight."
The Sharks scored the only goal of a fast-paced first period. The
two teams combined for only seven faceoffs.
Vlasic scored his fifth goal of the season at 11:29 to cap a
two-on-one break. Thornton hit left winger Melker Karlsson with a
long backhand pass as Sekera got caught behind the play. Karlsson
dished to Vlasic as the pair hit the Oilers' blue line with only
Mark Fayne defending. Vlasic lifted a wrist shot over the right
shoulder of Talbot and just under the cross bar.
NOTES: With his 41-game suspension over, San Jose RW Raffi Torres
was assigned to their AHL affiliate to begin a conditioning
assignment. ... RW Zack Kassian, recalled from AHL affiliate
Bakersfield, made his Edmonton debut on Thursday. ... San Jose hosts
Dallas on Saturday with ex-Sharks goalie Antti Niemi expected to
make his initial return to where he played the previous five seasons
before joining the Stars. ... Edmonton returns home to play Calgary
on Saturday before embarking on three more on the road. ... Oilers
LW Rob Klinkhammer was waved before Thursday's game and D Brad Hunt
was assigned to AHL Bakersfield. ... LW Luke Gazdic was a healthy
scratch for Edmonton while C Ben Smith and D Matt Tennyson did not
dress for San Jose.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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