AVALANCHE at SHARKS

GAME 5 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER-FINALS 4/22/10

FINAL





SHARKS-5, Avalanche-0

San Jose leads series 3-2

Game 6 Saturday 7pm Pacific at Pepsi Center



Three Stars

1. Nabokov (7th career Stanley Cup playoff shutout)

2. Couture (2 Goals, +2)

3. Setoguchi (2 Assists, +1)



3rd PERIOD

20:00 Nabokov records his 7th career playoff shutout (last: 4/10/08 vs Calgary) and second career against Colorado as the Sharks win Game 5 and take a 3-2 series lead. It is the largest margain of victory in a playoff game in San Jose franchise history. San Jose plays an outstanding sixty minutes of hockey and dominates the Avs for the home ice win; just a super performance by everyone with 11 different players registering points. Colorado outshoots the Sharks 17-8 in the third, but for the fourth straight game San Jose outshoots the Avs in a game (37-28).



18:46 Hendricks blasts a one-timer from the right circle off the crossbar, second clang of the night for the Avs.



18:00 Nichol heads back into the sin bin, this time for holding.



16:09 Nichol is out after the Sharks killed off the very brief power play of six seconds.



14:09 Nichol is called for slashing Yelle, ending the Sharks five minute power play.



13:24 Sharks get their second power play goal of the night and make it 5-0; Marleau gets his first of the playoffs and his 38th career Stanley Cup playoff goal (most in Sharks history). Marleau stationed at the right edge of the crease deflects a Heatley from between the circles shot top shelf.

SJ PP GOAL: Marleau (1) A: Heatley 2(3), Demers (1) at 13:24



11:04 McLeod is called for a major penalty, charging McGinn along the boards in the San Jose zone giving the Sharks a five minute power play. How Tucker did not get a penalty also is beyond me as he elbowed McGinn in the back of the head while McGinn was on his knees trying to get up. A big scrum immediately with Nichol getting in the face of Tucker. Joe Sacco pulls Anderson and puts Peter Budaj in goal.



10:37 Couture gets his second of the night as the Sharks make it 4-0. Couture knocked home a rebound from Clowe's shot from down low left with Anderson out of position because of the initial save. Setoguchi made the play by just staying onside at the left boards in front of the Avs bench.

SJ PP GOAL: Couture 2(2) A: Clowe (5), Setoguchi 2(3) at 10:37



8:27 Quincey comes out of the box as the Sharks had two shots on the power play.



6:27 Quincey called for interference on Heatley in the Colorado zone giving the Sharks their fifth power play of the night.



6:17 The NHL just announced that Game 6 of the series at the Pepsi Center on Saturday will begin at 7pm Pacific time and at 8pm in Denver.



2:45 Nabokov has made two key saves and maybe his best of the night when he stacked the pads at the left edge of the crease on Tucker.



2:22 Demers exits the box and the Sharks have killed off the penalty.



0:52 Tucker comes out of the penalty box and the Avs will have their first power play of the night; it will be a shorter one of 1:30.



0:22 Demers is called for hoding Stastny ending the Sharks power play and we'll skate four on four.



0:00 Sharks will start the period with :52 left on a power play that carries over from the second with Tucker serving the Hannan extra penalty.



2nd PERIOD





20:00 Second period ends and it's not soon enough for the Avs who surrender three goals in the period. Sharks outshoot the Avs 17-9 and lead for the game 29-11. It all begins on the draw as the Sharks are winning 64% of the face-offs with Malhotra winning eight of his ten and Pavelski seven of his ten, conversely Duchene was won only one of his seven. Sharks are sticking to the gameplan and taking it to the Avalanche.



18:52 Wild scrum and punches thrown behind Nabokov after a big collision at the Sharks net will result in another San Jose power play. Out of the pile, Hannan gets four minutes for roughing and McGinn ends up with two minutes. Nabby was shaken up momentarily but is okay after getting looked at by Sharks Athletic Trainer Ray Tufts; the San Jose goalie was run into by Murray who was cross-checked by McLeod. A vicious hit that should have been called, but was not, the Avs frustration is mounting.



15:30 Sharks score again and sends HP Pavilion into a frenzy; it's the energy line that gives a jolt. Nichol slammed a shot from the high slot off the boards to the left of Anderson that bounced in front and Helminen scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal to make it 3-0. Nichol using the home ice advantage and capitalizing on the lively boards at The Tank.

SJ GOAL: Helminen (1) A: Nichol (1), Murray (2) at 15:30



15:00 The Sharks are really flying and taking it to the Avs, shots are now 24-7 San Jose.



11:37 Sharks goal is waved off and the score remains 2-0. Clowe with a slapshot driving up the left side is saved by Anderson, but then Setoguchi driving the net was knocked off balance, went crashing into the Colorado goalie and both went into the net with the puck.



10:21 Sharks don't waste anytime and record a power play goal. Off the draw, the Sharks win it back and it's Captain America for the Sharks tallying another goal. Pavelski with a blast from the high slot beats Anderson glove side to put the Sharks up 2-0. Boyle with the primary assist, fed the puck to Pavelski from the top of the right circle. Second goal for the Sharks in 1:56 and the Avs burn their time out.

SJ PP GOAL: Pavelski (3) A: Boyle (3), Setoguchi (2) at 10:21



10:15 Galiardi called for holding-the-stick giving the Sharks their third power play.



8:25 Couture with his first career playoff goal off a redirection in front. Marleau led the rush up the left boards, passed it cross-ice to Heatley at the top of the right circle and found Couture planted alone in front. Couture with some great stick work, actually tipped it through Anderson with his back toward the net and through his legs.

SJ GOAL: Couture (1) A: Heatley (2), Marleau (2) at 8:25



6:25 Helminen was denied on a hard charge pushing the puck up the right wing side and driving the net. Anderson kicked the attempt aside with the left pad as he was down in the butterfly.



6:03 Anderson pounces on a loose puck at the top of the crease for a face-off after a nifty play by Setoguchi. Setoguchi walked the blueline and fired a hard wrist shot toward the net that was knocked down by the blocker of Anderson and Helminen was trying to jam it home.



5:02 Avs are outshooting the Sharks 4-2 to begin the second; Colorado has picked up their play so far here in the period.



1:30 Svatos's chance driving down the slot was broken by a sliding Heatley in front of Nabokov, Avs were probably guilty of over passing.



0:40 Anderson kicks out a redirection from Mitchell in the slot with the right pad off a drive from Malhotra; really good chance for the Sharks to begin the second.



0:00 Thornton's line will start against Stastny's line to open up the second.



1st PERIOD



20:00 Scoreless at the end of the first and the Sharks controlling play in the period. San Jose outshot Colorado 12-2 in the period, plus the Avs blocked six more. San Jose wih an edge on draws, winning nine of the 15 as Thornton won both of his and Malhotra won four of the six he took. Blake led all skaters in ice time (8:07) and Heatley far and away led all forwards (7:46); former Shark Scott Hannan led the Avs in ice time (7:48).



18:15 Avs cycle the puck for about 30 seconds in the Sharks zone but unable to get a shot on goal. Vlasic with a huge hit on Duchene to help get the puck out of the zone.



16:56 Pace picking up and the action is end to end with chances both ways. Sharks had two as Marleau's wrist shot was bobbled by Anderson and nearly rolled in as it was behind Anderson, but Hannan knocked it out of harms way. The Avs raced to the other end and Boyle blocked a shot in a two on two situation.



14:36 Sharks outshooting the Avs 9-2 at this point, although Colorado's best chances have not been actual shots. The post Svatos hit and just about 15 seconds ago a shot from the point bounced off both Blake and Galiardi in front and slid wide of the net. So far the Sharks are getting some lucky bounces.



11:45 Could have been a miserable mistake for Anderson as he gives the puck right to Thornton in the right corner, but Joe misses the net from a very tough angle with the Colorado netminder out of position.



10:46 Sharks are awarded their second power play after Yip is called for cross-checking Couture.



8:50 Avs ring one off the post, from the right circle Svatos blistered a wrist shot off the pipe on Nabby's right.



8:05 Murray levels Duchene with a big hit at center ice which brings a huge cheer from the fans. Both teams are physical.



3:35 Nabokov with a good save on a wrist shot from Galiardi from the left circle, the Avs first shot.



2:42 Quincey comes out and the Avs kill the penalty with the Sharks firing three shots on the man advantage.



0:42 Quick penalty against the Avs as Mitchell is hooked by Quincey giving the Sharks an early power play. Similar start as Game 4, let's see if San Jose can similairly get an early power play tally.



0:00 Paul Devosrski drops the puck and the Sharks win the initial face-off.



PRE-GAME



7:35pm Sharks, wearing the teal, skate through the shark head and on to the ice with Nabokov leading the way with Metallica's "Seek and Destroy" blasting through The Tank to thunderous cheers and fans waving orange t-shirts and white pom-poms. It is playoff loud inside HP Pavilion.



7:29pm Thornton's line will start for the Sharks with Murray and Boyle on defense, while the Avs will start Stastny's line with Hannan and Quincey on the blueline.