The league’s best powerplay unit provided the San JoseSharks with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus BlueJackets last night. This time however, they got alittle help from an unexpected contributor.
Ryan Clowe knocked in three rebounds for his firstcareer hat trick and helped the Sharks secure anotherhome win. In the past two games, Clowe has registeredfive goals in the same fashion; tucking in any reboundthe goaltender provides him.
“I have a bigger body and I’m pretty good at gettingpositioning,” said Clowe. “Obviously they aren’tpretty, but they count.”
All goals between the two teams were scored on thepowerplay. The past two games, the Sharks managed tolight the lamp 11 times on the powerplay.
“Our powerplay is just clicking,” said Sharks headcoach Ron Wilson. “When you have a guy like RyanClowe in front of the net, he’s pretty hard to move.”
Sharks captain Patrick Marleau continued to stay hot.On the first powerplay opportunity, Marleau knockedin his 19th of the season at 4:22 in the first period.
Originally, the goal was given to Joe Pavelski, butMarleau was later credited with the goal. With thatgoal, Marleau tied the franchise goal-record (206)held previously by Owen Nolan. Against the Red Wings,Marleau surpassed Nolan for the most franchisepoint-record (493).
Clowe picked his first goal on the night just 0:38seconds later. After Marleau’s shot was stopped byBlue Jackets’ goaltender Fredrik Norrena, Cloweknocked in the rebound.
Clowe’s first goal is still undetermined if it remainsa powerplay. Due to an error “in the application ofthe rule following San Jose’s first powerplay goal,”the Sharks managed to take advantage of anotherpowerplay opportunity.
“I thought the penalties were over,” said Wilson. “Itwas a mistake, and we took advantage of it.”
After Blue Jackets’ forward Gilbert Brule managed tocut the lead in half on his early second-periodpowerplay goal, Ehrhoff responded with his ownpowerplay goal with 1:57 remaining in the period.Ehrhoff’s goal sealed his own hat trick. With anassist on the first goal, a fight later on in thefirst period and his powerplay goal, Ehrhoff managedto pick up the Gordie Howe hat trick.
“It doesn’t happen to me a lot,” said Ehrhoff. “Itwas my first fight in America. It’s not so popularover there. If you fight in Germany, you get kickedout of the game.”
Clowe knocked in the final two goals in the thirdperiod and let the Sharks skate easily in the thirdperiod.
“The goals he scores are tough goals; right in thecrease,” said Sharks forward Joe Thornton, whoprovided three assists on the night. “For him toscore two the other night and three tonight, he’s justplaying great for us.”
The Sharks will finish off the third game of the homestand when they face the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesdayat 7:30 p.m.
NOTE: Sharks’ defenseman Josh Gorges and BlueJackets’ forward Sergei Federov left the game in thefirst period after a collision in the Sharks’ corner.Gorges left with facial lacerations while Federovskated out on his own with an upper-body injury.
Milan Michalek was scratched from the lineup becauseof a sore groin injury. Ville Nieminen returned tothe lineup after playing his last game against theColorado Avalanche on Dec. 7.
