Sharks 5 Avalanche 0
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Evgeni Nabokov stopped 28 shots to record his seventh career playoff shutout, Logan Couture scored twice and the San Jose Sharks beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-0 Thursday to take a 3-2 edge in their series.
Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Dwight Helminen also scored for the Sharks, who finally found a way to get through Colorado goalie Craig Anderson. Anderson still made 29 saves on 33 shots before he was replaced by Peter Budaj at 11:05 of the third period.
Tempers flared as San Jose scored three times in the second period in the biggest offensive outburst by either team in the first round.
Neither team had held a lead of more than one goal until the Sharks took a 2-0 lead.
Tempers flared as San Jose scored three times in the second period in the biggest offensive outburst by either team in the first round.
Neither team had held a lead of more than one goal until the Sharks took a 2-0 lead.
This time it was all Nabokov, who made his 70th playoff appearance. He stretched every which way to keep the Avalanche off the scoreboard. Colorado also hit the post twice during the game.
Just when it appeared Anderson was still on his game, the Sharks beat him three times in the second period — two from unlikely sources.
Couture redirected Dany Heatley’s shot past Anderson, who took the Sharks’ best shots in the first 28 minutes. Couture, scoring his first career playoff goal, and Heatley were paired in the third period of Tuesday’s overtime win in Colorado and began the game together. Marleau, who picked up an assist on the goal, was still on the ice.
Pavelski scored his third goal of the playoffs midway through the period, firing a shot from the point past a diving Anderson, who had slipped after trying to defend against Dan Boyle on the right side.
Helminen, who also scored his first, knocked in a rebound on Scott Nichol’s took from the point. It appeared Nichol, seeing a 3-on-2 edge, purposely stopped and waited for his forwards to sprint ahead before shooting.
Scott Hannan made sure the Avalanche went into the second intermission with some fire as he skated into the middle of a confrontation behind the Sharks’ net and took on Jamie McGinn, drawing a double-minor.
The incident was instigated when Cody McLeod clearly shoved Torrey Mitchell into Nabokov, who took a stick to the mask.
It was clearly a response to Devin Setoguchi’s uncontrolled rush into Anderson earlier in the period.
McLeod eventually drew a major for charging into McGinn with nine minutes remaining.
Couture scored his second goal with 10:37 remaining, also a rebound on a shot from Ryane Clowe. Marleau scored on a power play four minutes later to make it 5-0.
NOTES: Colorado C Kevin Porter was back in the lineup wafter missing two games with an upper body injury . . . The Sharks outshot the Avalanche 12-2 in the first period and have a 60-44 edge in the opening period . . . A T-shirt promotion gave the Arena an orange look rather than the traditional teal.