Playing their biggest game so far this year, the San Jose Sharks outshot the Anaheim Ducks 43-13, setting a franchise in shot differential with 30 and won 2-1 Friday night at home.
This win put the Sharks seven points ahead of the second place Anaheim and 10 points in front of the Dallas Stars in the ultra competitive Pacific Division.
San Jose scored just 40 seconds into the game on a nifty backhand shot by Jumbo Joe Thornton.
The goal was Thornton's 21st of the year and was the 51th time the Sharks have drawn first blood this year.
The goal was made possible by the hustle of Jonathon Cheechoo, who first got the puck into the Ducks’ zone and then created room for linemate Milan Michalek to pass to Thornton.
Jonas Hiller started in goal for Anaheim although Jean-Sebastian Giguere was the scheduled starter. No reason for the switch was given at game time.
Hiller played well allowing only two goals on 43 shots. He even took a hard Cheechoo slapper right off his coconut in the third period. The shot shook the goalie up and opened a small cut on his forehead; Hiller got looked at by trainers on the bench and immediately returned to the net.
The first period was action-packed with the Ducks displaying solid checking in all zones. The Sharks showed some grit as they were liberal with the body checks early on. Sharks’ Jody Shelley put hard checks on George Parros, Sean O'Donnell and Marc-Andre Bergeron. This would eventually result in a scrap with Parros, with a close decision going to Shelley. As Parros headed to the sin bin blood was dripping from the bridge of his nose.
Like his play this entire season, Evgeni Nabokov looked good in goal for the Sharks. Nabby made key saves while shorthanded and appeared composed throughout the game, which can be difficult when you do not face many shots—all five of Anaheim’s shots in the first period came on the powerplay.
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