SAN JOSE
Chalk up another San Jose Sharks victory to a decisive second period.
Coach Todd McLellan’s charges improved to 4-0 Tuesday by outlasting the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The Sharks produced a 3-1 edge in goals in the second period, extending the club’s dominance in the middle period this season to an 8-1 total. All four game-winning goals have come in the second period.
San Jose tries to extend its franchise-best winning streak to open a season when it visits the Anaheim Ducks Friday. The Sharks host the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday at 7:30pm. before beginning a three-game Eastern roadtrip Wednesday against the Flyers.
Few scoring chances in the first period led to only one goal, at the 9:01 mark. Columbus grabbed a 1-0 lead when Kristian Huselius snapped a 25-footer inside the left post past a screened Evgeni Nabokov with the Jackets in the final seven seconds of a power play.
The pace quickened considerably in the second period. A combined 25 shots led to four goals, only one at even strength.
Shark Rob Blake earned a minor penalty for high-sticking at 3:36. A strong Sharks forecheck set up the tying short-handed goal. Joe Pavelski hustled to the right boards to gain control of the puck and send it across the slot to an open Jonathan Cheechoo for a one-timer past goalie Pascal Leclaire at 4:54.
Columbus responded with a go-ahead goal 24 seconds later. Christian Backman ripped a shot from the high slot that skimmed off the skate of Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray and under Nabokov.
The Sharks came back with a power play goal at 8:12. Milan Michalek’s drive from the left flank bounced off the skate of Columbus center Jiri Novotny and inside the right post for the 2-2 tie.
Just 87 seconds later, San Jose had a lead it would not relinquish. Mike Grier’s line paced a torrid shooting spree for 25 seconds that kept the pressure on the Columbus defense. Joe Thornton powered to the right back corner of the Jackets zone to retrieve the puck. The center found Patrick Marleau open at the inside edge of the right circle. The Shark captain’s first shot bounded hard off Leclaire’s pads, allowing Marleau a second shot that beat Leclaire at the 9:29 mark.
“Seto(guchi) was in front creating a lot of havoc,” said Marleau of the opportunity to score off a rebound of his own shot.
The Sharks added two goals within a three-minute span of the third period to put the game away.
San Jose netted its second short-hander of the night when Marleau accepted a set-up pass from Grier from behind the net to send a hard shot off Leclaire. Marleau was again able to get off a second shot on the play, the follow-up finding an opening in the top left corner of the net at 5:19.
“I didn’t get much wood on the first shot, but I did on the second,” said Marleau.
McLellan lauded the captain for his effort in all facets of the game.
“He played like a captain should. He took the team on his back. I’m very proud of him. He played very well defensively and won big faceoffs.”
A Marc-Edouard Vlasic even-strength goal at 8:17 sent Leclaire off the ice for the rest of the game. Thornton chased down a loose puck caused by a Cheechoo forecheck. Thornton fed an advancing Vlasic for the one-timer from the high slot that glanced past Leclaire’s shoulder and into the net.
