San Jose allows 2-0 lead to slip away in OT loss
San Jose – The Detroit Red Wings clawed back into the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night by defeating the host San Jose Sharks 3-2 in overtime at HP Pavilion.
Mathieu Schneider caught an attempted clear by Scott Hannan during a Detroit power play, then dropped the puck and delivered a shot that bounced off Patrick Rissmiller and inside the left post for the game-winner with 3:56 left in the first overtime period.
The Sharks appeared ready to win the game in regulation 2-1 and take a commanding 3-1 edge in the series when a defensive breakdown near the San Jose blueline allowed the visitors to strike for the tying goal.
With the goalie pulled for an extra skater, Robert Lang broke free inside the Sharks zone and wristed a shot that found its way between the left arm and body of goalie Evgeni Nabokov for the equalizer with 33.1 seconds left in regulation.
San Jose failed on its one power play in overtime. Detroit went on the power play when Craig Rivet was whistled for delay of game for shooting the puck into the stands at the 14:52 mark.
The Sharks posted the only goal of the first period when Jonathan Cheechoo converted a Joe Thornton pass into a successful one-timer past goalie Dominik Hasek at the 17:52 mark.
Thornton set the Sharks up in the Detroit zone with a clean face-off victory to defenseman Matt Carle. Blueline partner Marc-Edouard Vlasic battled to keep the puck in the zone after a brief Detroit steal. Vlasic’s hustle and positioning allowed Milan Michalek to corral the puck and find Thornton open low in the right-wing circle. Thornton threaded a cross-ice pass under a falling Chris Chelios and onto Cheechoo’s stick.
The Sharks went up 2-0 with 8:07 gone in the second period. Rissmiller miss-hit a slapshot from the left point. The fluttering puck was picked up by an advancing Marcel Goc for a one-timer from the right circle that clipped off the helmet of Detroit’s Andreas Lilja and past Hasek.
The goal was the first of the post-season and second in 25 playoff games for Goc.
San Jose was within 10 seconds of escaping the second period with a 2-0 cushion. Kyle McLaren was whistled for cross-checking with 9.9 seconds left. Detroit capitalized in just 5.4 seconds when Tomas Holmstrom swatted a loose puck behind Nabokov for the goal. Nicklas Lidstrom and Schneider picked up assists.
Detroit posted a 49-27 edge in shots, including a 12-6 margin in overtime.
NOTES: Patrick Marleau played in his 91st post-season game for the Sharks, tying Mike Rathje’s franchise record…Thornton tied Jeff Norton’s franchise record for consecutive games with at least one assist (seven) with his helper on the game’s first goal…The best 4-of-7 series is tied at 2-2 with Game 5 Saturday at 11am in Detroit, Game 6 Monday night in San Jose…Anaheim holds a 3-1 lead in the other semifinal in the Western Conference and can finish the series tonight at home against Vancouver.
