“Globetrotters” blow late lead for Sharks, lose in shootout

The San Jose Sharks blew a 2-1 lead to the St. Louis Blues with just over 6 seconds left in the game, and would eventually lose in the shootout (2-1). To make matters worse, the tying goal surrendered occurred while the Sharks were on a power play.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan refers to his first power play unit as the “Globetrotters.” The nickname was given because the group does a lot of “looking good and doing nothing,” as McLellan says.

5-on-5 the line of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, and Patrick Marleau have been nearly unstoppable. Unfortunately on the power play, that forward unit likes to showcase its passing skills and puckhandling and let the opposing penalty kill unit sit and watch. In normal circumstances that’s tolerable, but with a one-goal lead, you know the other team is going to press and go on the offensive every chance possible. That was the case tonight against the Blues.

With less than two minutes remaining the Sharks drew a penalty. Yet with 30 seconds left they gave up a two-on-one that required a terrific save from Evgeni Nabokov to stop. While maintaining control in the offensive zone, the Blues pulled goalie Ty Conklin and that’s when Carlo Colaiacovo whipped around a shot that beat Nabokov.

The Blues should have never gotten into the Sharks zone with the puck in those final two minutes, let alone get two quality scoring chances.

In the shootout it was pleasant to see a slight alteration on the moves from the usual, but the results didn’t pan out.

Ryane Clowe added an extra deke to his usual backhand move but had the puck slip off his stick. Then Andy McDonald beat Nabokov with a deke to backhand. Joe Pavelski is allowed to use his same move because he usually scores, today he hit the post. Nabokov stopped Brad Boyes on another backhand attempt beating the puck to the far post. Marleau then stepped up and delivered a tying goal on a nifty backhander in tight on Conklin. TJ Oshie came in slowly on his attempt and froze Nabokov beating him five-hole without even a shimme for the winner.

That first line did put in the Sharks’ first goal just 1:19 into the first. Thornton found Heatley in the slot for a slap shot that was ripped by Conklin.

Jay McClement would tie the score on a great shot of his own coming down the wing later in the first period.

The only goal of the second came on Pavelski’s deflection on a Douglas Murray shot from the point.

As the score would suggest the game was one of constant battles, specifically one-on-one battles. Every shift had some extra curriculars in the middle of the play.

One in particular came in the third when Heatley and David Backes spent a shift battling in the corners and in front of the Blues net. The two exchanged slashes and cross-checks after the play with Backes dropping his gloves and going after Heatley. Frazer McLaren would then jump off the bench and protect the sniper by grapping a hold of Backes and throwing a few punches. McLaren received a game misconduct for the play.

Earlier in the game Ryane Clowe and BJ Crombeen fought.

The Sharks will try and take out the frustration of this game on Saturday at the Tank in a showdown with the Calgary Flames. That promising game looks to have plenty of physicality and grit, a style that fits Scott Nichol to a tee, so I predict him pitching in a goal.