Pavelski Scores Season’s First Goal
“It was a complete effort,”------Joe Pavelski

By Barbara Mason
Bay Area Sports Drive
10/08/11
 

It seems just yesterday that the San Jose Sharks suffered the heartbreaking loss at the hands of Vancouver in the Conference Final putting an end to yet another bid for the Stanley Cup.  They have been contenders for years now and everything points to another strong bid in the 2011-2012 season. 

Saturday night the Sharks took on the Phoenix Coyotes in their season opener to a sell-out crowd ready for another year of great hockey.  With goalie Ante Niemi still not ready to start, Thomas Greiss got his first start in a season opener. 

Early in the first period San Jose went on the power play coming away with a Joe Pavelski goal assisted by Patrick Marleau and Brent Burns at 4:01 for the 1-0 lead.  The Sharks extended that lead with a Michael Handzust wrap-around goal, his first as a San Jose Shark.  He was assisted by Torrey Mitchell and Jason Demers.  The first period was all San Jose outshooting the Coyotes 18-4 with all four lines coming out fast and strong.  They inhabited the Coyote zone for most of the period relentlessly attacking the net. 

Ryane Clowe scored the team’s second power play goal at 7:33 in the second period assisted by Logan Couture and Tommy Wingels for a 3-0 lead.  Sixty seconds later San Jose was back in the net off an unassisted goal by Andrew Desjardins for 4-0.  Arizona was finally able to get on the board off the stick of Shane Doan on a power play goal. The Sharks came right back with their third power play goal of the game and Joe Pavelski’s second goal of the game.  He was again assisted by Jason Demers for a 5-1 lead.   As the period neared completion Andrew Desjardins scored his 2^nd goal on a wrist shot assisted by Brad Winchester. The period ended with the Sharks leading by a commanding 6-1. 

The third period opened with Phoenix’s second power play goal.  Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s slapshot scored for the Coyotes 2^nd goal of the evening. He was assisted by Mikkel Boedker and Dayond Langkow trailing San Jose 6-2.   At 10:19 the Coyotes had a 5 on 3 giving San Jose their biggest challenge of the game.  Phoenix took little time to score off the stick of Shane Doan for his second of the game assisted by Keith Yandle and Ray Whitney.  San Jose’s five goal lead had been cut to three in the final period.  San Jose had their first power play of the third period having scored on 3 of their 4 power plays in the game.  Coming up empty Team Teal had five minutes left in the game to hold on for their first win of the new season. With 2:43 left in the game a fight erupted sending Ryane Clowe and Shane Doan to the penalty box.   While Phoenix had a 6 on 4 going they were unable to score as the clock ran out.  

It was an impressive opener for the Sharks with a dozen different players coming away with points and the 6-3 win.