Sharks shut out slumping Blues

[March 09, 2018]  Mikkel Boedker snapped the San Jose Sharks' 0-for-29 power play drought with a goal at 12:12 of the third period Thursday night, snapping a scoreless tie in a 2-0 win over the reeling St. Louis Blues at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

Boedker took a pass from Joonas Donskoi in the slot and snapped a wrister off the left post and into the net for his 13th goal, enabling San Jose to pass Anaheim for second place in the Pacific Division with 81 points.

Tomas Hertl iced the outcome with an empty-netter with 15 seconds to play, his 16th goal of the season.

Martin Jones bagged his fourth shutout of the season with only 16 saves, only two of which occurred in the third period. St. Louis was so punchless that it couldn't even generate any pressure after icing a sixth attacker for most of the final two minutes.

Goalie Jake Allen played a good game for St. Louis and made 34 saves, but it wasn't enough to give the Blues their second victory since Feb. 9. The Blues were in contention for the Central Division title at that point but have fallen all the way to sixth place and are presently out of the playoff picture.

Entering the game with eight losses in nine contests, St. Louis got another helping of bad news during the morning skate. Scheduled starting goalie Carter Hutton injured his neck and had to be scratched in favor of the struggling Allen.

 

Sharks left wing Mikkel Boedker (89) celebrates with right wing Joonas Donskoi (27) and right wing Joel Ward and right wing Timo Meier (28) and center Tomas Hertl (48) after scoring a power play goal against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Allen responded well to the last-minute call to start, standing up under steady San Jose pressure. He calmed the waters in the first 5 1/2 minutes, stoning Boedker's backhander from the right circle to deny the Sharks an early goal.

Allen kept his team in the game, but the Blues just couldn't generate any pressure on Jones. They managed only four shots in the first period, and even though they stepped up the offense somewhat with 10 attempts on net in the second period, didn't produce enough Grade A chances. It cost them in the end.

--Field Level Media

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