SAN JOSE – Goaltender Mike Smith recorded three shutouts against the San Jose Sharks to lead the Phoenix Coyotes to a Pacific Division crown last season.
Smith came right back with a shutout in his first game against San Jose this year, leading the visiting Coyotes to a 1-0 shootout win at sold-out HP Pavilion.
San Jose fashioned a 33-21 edge in shots on goal but failed to score for the first time in 11 games. The one point lifted San Jose to the top of the division with 16 points, pending Anaheim’s game tonight in St. Louis. Phoenix is in fourth place in the division, four points off the pace of San Jose.
The Sharks were coming off three consecutive losses, including two in regulation. The lone point earned by San Jose since the 7-0 start had been the 2-1 shootout loss to Nashville the previous Saturday.
San Jose takes a 7-2-2 record on the road for six games, beginning Monday in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. The Sharks will be able to come home after three games, including one practice, before starting the next week’s schedule on Feb. 19 in St. Louis.
Phoenix earned the extra point with the 2-0 shootout decision. San Jose failed to solve Smith on two chances, from Michal Handzus and James Sheppard. The Coyotes countered with goals from both Mikkel Boedker and Radim Vrbata.
“We can build off a game like this,” said Sharks captain Joe Thornton. “We carried the play for the second part of the game.”
Brent Burns was activated from injured reserve by the Sharks this morning. The defenseman had 21 shifts, one shot on net and two hits in 20:38 on the ice.
The Sharks created a spot on the roster by reassigning defenseman Matt Irwin to the Worchester Sharks of the American Hockey League on Saturday. The defenseman had one goal and one assist in nine contests with San Jose.
