The San Jose Sharks aren’t doing too well at home this season, but Tuesday night’s game against the Boston Bruins has proved the haters and the doubters wrong in a 3-2 win over the Bruins.
The Sharks (39-24-6) hosted the Bruins (39-24-8) after crushing the red-hot Washington Capitals 5-2 at home last Saturday. It was a definite test for both teams, as Boston was coming off a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders at TD Garden.
James Reimer made 23 saves in favor of San Jose, while Tuukka Rask made 24 saves for the visiting team.
The Sharks drew first blood, as Melker Karlsson scored his ninth goal of the season, and took a 1-0 lead at 8:44. Joonas Donskoi (20) and Logan Couture (18) were credited with the assists on Karlsson’s goal. However, the lead was short-lived, as two goals put the Bruins ahead. David Krejci’s 15th goal of the season tied the game 1-1 at 11:26. Later on, Loui Eriksson extended Boston’s lead to 2-1 with a short-handed goal with 2:14 left in the first.
The Sharks outshot the Bruins 12-10 after 20 minutes of play.
Brent Burns’ shot deflected off Ryan Spooner’s stick and trickled into the net, allowing the Sharks to tie the game 2-2 at 11:46 of the second. Tomas Hertl (20) and Joe Thornton (51) picked up the assists on Burns’ 26th goal of the season.
Thornton shifted into a tie for 32nd place on the NHL’s all-time points list with Gilbert Perreault, receiving credit for his 1,326th point.
The Sharks outshot the Bruins 23-17 after 40 minutes of play.
It was a back-and-forth game between the Bruins and the Sharks. However, San Jose took a 3-2 lead after Joonas Donskoi scored on the power play with 13:23 left in regulation. He scored a goal of his own with the help of Joel Ward (21) and Brent Burns (38). Boston had a chance to tie the game, but Reimer made an incredible save in the last minute of the game to help his team salvage the win.
The Sharks went 1-for-4 on the power play while allowing their sixth shorthanded goal-against. They are 3-for-15 on the power play over the last six games. They also outshot the Bruins 27-23 for the game.
The win was a great way for James Reimer to celebrate his 28th birthday.
The Sharks picked up two crucial points with a 3-2 win over the Bruins on Tuesday night. In the Pacific Division, San Jose is one point behind the second-place Anaheim Ducks and five points behind the first-place Los Angeles Kings.
When it comes to the Western Conference, the Sharks currently hold the sixth seed in the playoff race. Their upcoming games are important and therefore should be taken seriously.
Notes:
Sharks forward Tommy Wingels was cleared to return from a sprained left shoulder after missing the past 12 games.
Sharks recalled defenseman Dylan DeMelo from the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League. He was also a healthy scratch.
Bruins forward Frank Vatrano, who was called up from the minors after scoring 31 goals in 31 games in the AHL, was scratched.
Up Next: Sharks take on the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on Thursday night. Puck drops at 7:00 pm PT on CSCA, FAZ+
