Mark Giordano (left) congratulates Sean Monahan (23) after he scored against the Edmonton Oilers during their NHL game in Calgary on Saturday. The Flames defeated the Oilers 4-2. (AFP)
By David Pollak/San Jose Mercury News (TNS)
The San Jose Sharks were set up for a statement game Saturday night.
Beat the Chicago Blackhawks and they would have three consecutive victories over the Western Conference elite after defeating the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. Lose and they fall to a so-so 3-2-1 on their season-long, seven-game homestand.
San Jose ended up skating off with a 2-0 victory as Sharks goalie Antti Niemi made 31 saves for his fourth shutout of the season while rookie Melker Karlsson scored in the first period and Joe Thornton hit an empty net with 70 seconds left in the game.
Despite the chance for a three-game winning streak, players didn’t want to look at the bigger picture as they prepared for Chicago.
“We’re not looking at what we’ve done in the past or what our schedule’s like in the future. It’s got to be about tonight,” Joe Pavelski said. “We’ve got to play hard and continue our game. That’s the only way. If we look ahead or look back it will go away from us.”
Unlike the first game between the teams this season in early November when the Sharks played the previous night in Dallas and went on to lose 5-2 at the United Center, the NHL schedule-maker did San Jose a favor as Chicago was the team on the second half of a back-to-back after a 4-1 win in Anaheim on Friday night.
“Hopefully we can take advantage of them, get on them early,” Logan Couture said before the game.
Although the Sharks were outshot 8-7 in the first period, they did seem to have more jump in their game as the period progressed and had the only goal before the first intermission.
That came when Karlsson crashed the net and got his own rebound when Antti Raanta fumbled the original shot and the puck caromed around the crease, finding its way into the Chicago net at 5:09.
The Blackhawks dominated the second period, outshooting San Jose 16-6, but neither team could score. Chicago came closest while short-handed when captain Jonathan Toews headed toward Niemi on a breakaway started up the ice by Raanta.
Toews did get three shots off starting at 14:26, but both Niemi and defenseman Brent Burns ended up on their backs, filling the crease and somehow managing to keep the puck out of the net long enough to get a whistle.
The Sharks got their own breakaway early in the third period, but Raanta closed the five-hole before Barclay Goodrow could guide the puck between the netminder’s pads. And Raanta came up big about three minutes later when Couture set up Matt Nieto for a one-timer in the slot and Raanta made the save.
Injured Sharks forward Tyler Kennedy skated Saturday morning for the first time since Tuesday as he deals with muscle spasms suffered in the initial practice after the All-Star break. This is the fourth injury Kennedy has had to deal with this season.
“What am I going to do? I think I’m doing everything I can to try to stay healthy,” Kennedy said. “It’s a little step back, but I’m starting to feel good again. I’m glad it’s nothing too serious.”
