NHL Update: Setoguchi lifts San Jose Sharks past Colorado Avalanche, 4-0
Devin Setoguchi registered his first career hat trick, as San Jose Sharks held on for a 4-0 victory over Colorado Avalanche, at HP Pavilion on Saturday night.
Antti Niemi made his fifth shutout of the season and 12th of his career, stopping 25 shots for San Jose, which has won three straight games after losing two in a row. Ryane Clowe also found the back of the net to earn
the win for Sharks.
"It always looks good when the team is playing so well," Niemi said. "For me, it's more experience, more comfort and being more patient."
Peter Budaj was the hard-luck loser, surrendering four goals on 33 shots for Colorado, who have dropped 10 consecutive play-offs (0-9-1).
"Certainly it's tough to play, like I've said this before, catch-up hockey," said Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco. "I think that San Jose took advantage of their power play in the first period, they were able to capitalize on two of their chances.
And that's a big advantage for them."
Sharks held control of the play early in the game, as they burst three goals in the opening stanza.
The first goal came 6 ½ minutes into the period when Setoguchi received a Jason Demers’s pass and he split two defenders for an unhindered shot into the net.
Setoguchi gave Sharks a 2-0 lead with his second goal with five minutes remaining in the frame. During a power play, he cleaned up a big rebounded shot from Ian White off the boards with Budaj caught looking the wrong way.
Clowe got into the scoring to give San Jose a 3-0 lead only 1 ½ minutes later, as he fired a wrist shot from the left circle on a power play.
"We need to come together as a team and get out of this rut. A 3-0 lead is tough to come back from."Budaj said.
Following a goalless middle session, Setoguchi completed his hat trick with less than two minutes left in the final period. The goal came when he won a battle for the puck along the boards and sprinted straight to the net without any interference.
"I think I've had 12, maybe 13 two-goal games, something like that," Setoguchi said. "It always sits in the back of your mind. But it feels good to get one; first one, anyway."
Avalanche failed to open their scoring, despite hitting 11 shots on net in the second period. Niemi then turned away six shots in the last period to secure the win and his shutout.
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