Sharks demolish Ducks, close in on sweep

[April 17, 2018]  Marcus Sorensen and Joonas Donskoi both collected one goal and one assist during a four-goal second period that led the San Jose Sharks to a 8-1 thrashing of the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.

San Jose, which benefited from a 45-save performance by goalie Martin Jones, holds a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference opening-round playoff series. The Sharks will look to sweep the series Wednesday night on home ice.

Eric Fehr and Tomas Hertl also tallied during the second period as the Sharks blew open what was a tied game at SAP Center.

The score was 1-1 before Donskoi scored 75 seconds into the middle period to put the Sharks ahead for good. After Ducks defenseman Brandon Montour fell in the neutral zone as he controlled the puck, Donskoi sped away with Evander Kane on a two-on-one rush and converted on a give-and-go. Donskoi finished with three points.

Sorensen made it a 3-1 game with his second goal in as many outings, finishing another give-and-go at 3:41 on another odd-man rush. Sorensen took a pass from Donskoi and niftily beat Ducks goalie John Gibson with a backhand after deking the netminder.

Fehr's tally to give San Jose a three-goal lead was even more jaw-dropping than the quick two tallies from his fellow fourth-liners. Fehr was a one-man show after he grabbed the puck at center ice and battled through a check before lifting a shot past Gibson at the 13:43 mark.

Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) collides with Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf (15) in the first period of game three of the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Hertl completed the second-period onslaught with a power-play goal at 16:49, completing a pretty passing play with a shot from the slot.

Joe Pavelski, Kane and Chris Tierney potted third-period power-play goals while the Ducks sent a steady stream of players to the penalty box.

San Jose's Logan Couture -- who had a three-point outing -- and Anaheim's Rickard Rakell traded first-period goals.

Gibson was pulled after the second period, the victim of five goals on 24 shots. Ryan Miller took over and stopped nine of the 12 shots he faced.

San Jose star defenseman Brent Burns left the game midway through the third period.

--Field Level Media

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