The San Jose Sharks ousted the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night 6-1 with points coming from 12 different players.
After winning three of their last four games, the teamwasn’t too happy with their performance on the road.As a collective unit, they revamped their performanceagainst the Flyers.
“It was a good start for us,” said Sharks’ forwardMike Grier. “We won three pretty ugly games on theroad. We got back to basics and it showed tonight.”
Grier picked up his fifth goal of the season on ashort-handed opportunity midway through the firstperiod. Linemate Curtis Brown intercepted a pass fromFlyers’ Peter Forsberg and chipped it off the boardsto an already accelerating Grier to put the Sharksahead 3-1.
“Brownie read [the play] and chipped it in,” saidGrier. “I was lucky enough to have the lead to make adecent shot there.”
The Sharks started their attack early in the game withforwards Patrick Rissmiller and Milan Michalek eachfinding the net within five minutes. The two earlygoals led to the Flyers’ taking an early timeout.
Rissmiller got credit for the first goal after aslapshot by linemate Ville Nieminen streamed by goalieRobert Esche. Originally Nieminen got the goal, butwas later changed to Rissmiller after video replayshowed Rissmiller put his stick on thealready-in-transition puck to deflect it past Esche.
Michalek’s picked his ninth of the season after hedropped the puck to Joe Thornton who sent it rightback to Michalek for the goal at 4:46 in the first period.
The Flyers got their lone goal from Geoff Sanderson inbetween Michalek and Grier’s goal in the first period.After Flyers’ Mike Richards shot the puck that led toa rebound, Sanderson was parked right in front of thenet. He put the puck past both a diving Rob Davidsonand goalie Vesa Toskala.
Sanderson almost picked up his second goal in thefirst period again by playing off the rebounds, butToskala managed to stop him. On the same play,Toskala robbed Flyer’s defenseman Derian Hatcher on adesperation kick-save. On the ice, Toskala managed toput his leg up to stop the shot.
“It’s nice to have those, but I don’t like those,because those are the desperation saves,” said Toskalawho ended the night with 17 saves. “They aren’t undercontrol.”
In the second period, the Sharks put three more goalsinto the net. Goals from Kyle McLaren, Ryane Cloweand Curtis Brown opened up the game enormously.
“It turned out to be that kind of game,” said Sharks’head coach Ron Wilson. “You come out 3-1 and you’rehoping we can get four or five and that gives me achance to use everybody and spread the ice timearound. A lot of the guys took advantage of theopportunities they were given.”
The Sharks, known for their high-scoring offense,trampled all over the Flyers Saturday night. As of Saturday,the Flyers have given up 81 goals in the season — theworst in the NHL. The win has come at a perfect timefor the Sharks. They hope to take Saturday’s momentuminto Tuesday’s much-anticipated game against thePacific division rival Anaheim Ducks.
“Tonight was tougher than it looks,” said KyleMcLaren. “It’s a good tune up for Tuesday night. Wehave to be ready and play the same style.”
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