San Jose Sharks shutout Dallas Stars play-off hopes as they overtake the Detroit Red Wings –NHL Update
San Jose Sharks might have been in shallow waters for a while but have finally taken the right path to where they belong after they shutout hopeless Dallas Stars by 6-0. Dallas lost for the fifth time straight on Thursday night at the sold-out HP Pavilion
Centre in San Jose, California.
They finally clinched that playoff spot becoming the second team to do so in the Western Conference. They also overtook conference rivals, Detroit Red Wings, for second place with 99 points.
Dallas remains ousted from the elite-eight group of the Western Division but are still three points above the last place team, Chicago, who is just rocking back and forth on the edge.
It is a race between Stars and Calgary for that last entry seat to the playoffs, but both teams remain in a mesh.
"It's an accomplishment," Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle said of making the playoffs in such a big way. "Obviously we did it a different way than the last couple years. We certainly fought our way back into it.
San Jose’s superstar goalie, Antti Niemi, made 29 saves for his sixth shutout of the season.
He has been a large part of their success, making every single start since their six-game losing streak back in January.
Dan Boyle scored the first of the match near the end with a little less than four minutes remaining in the match.
The amazing rookie, Logan Couture, fired off 4:30 into the second to make it 31 goals in his second National Hockey League (NHL) season.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic extended the lead to 3-0 and made it his third of the season in the final two minutes.
Sharks was just firing all over the place.
Patrick Marleau scored two goals, 10 minutes apart, making the crowd roar midway through the final.
It was 5-0 with nearly eight minutes remaining, signalling defeat for Dallas.
Ben Eager added the final on Andrew Raycroft who replaced Kari Lehtonen as Stars’ goaltender.
Lehtonen was called back to the benches after having a tough time, making 29 of 33 saves. Raycroft did not have it any better as he only managed to block 17, letting two slip through.
"We don't like them, they don't like us," the young Couture said. "We wanted to bury them and create some space."
There was obviously tension between the two teams as there has always been.
Both teams are rivals but San Jose showed them who is on top at the moment by nearly killing their playoff hopes.
San Jose has been granted a guaranteed pass for the playoffs so the remainder of the season could be used for resting main players.
They host Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
Dallas still has hope as they have six games remaining, two more than Calgary Flames.
Dallas will fly off to Los Angeles on Saturday to play against Kings, part of a two-game California road trip.
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