San Jose (0-1-0) at Anaheim (0-0-0)

  • Game info: 10:00 pm EDT Sat Oct 3, 2009
  • TV: CSCA, KDOC

By MATT BEARDMORE, STATS Writer Oct 2, 4:32 pm EDT

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A season-opening defeat was a disappointing result for the San Jose Sharks, but it paled in comparison to the team’s last loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

In their first meeting since the Ducks upset the Sharks in the opening round of the playoffs in the spring, the Pacific Division rivals square off in Anaheim’s season opener Saturday night at the Honda Center.

Despite outshooting Colorado 40-20, including 19-1 in a scoreless third period, the Sharks suffered a 5-2 season-opening loss to the Avalanche on Thursday night.

“We were sloppy in our own zone in the second period, and the power play needs to contribute,” captain Rob Blake(notes) said after San Jose converted one of its six opportunities with the man advantage.

It wasn’t how the Sharks expected to open the season after winning a franchise-record 53 games and earning their first Presidents’ Trophy with 117 points. But it wasn’t nearly as disappointing as their latest playoff flop. Top-seeded San Jose lost in six games to No. 8 seed Anaheim, failing to get past the second round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The Sharks fell 4-1 at the Honda Center in Game 6.

The Ducks were one of the NHL’s hottest teams heading into the postseason after going an league-best 10-2-1 over the last 13 games. Their playoff run ended with a Game 7 loss to Detroit in the second round.

The Ducks are hoping some young talent can get them back to the playoffs in 2009-10. Anaheim traded veteran defenseman Chris Pronger(notes) to Philadelphia in June for forward Joffrey Lupul(notes), defenseman Luca Sbisa(notes) and draft picks.

“We lost Prongs and (defenseman Francois) Beauche (to Toronto), but we have some guys in here that can step up,” said center Ryan Getzlaf(notes), who had offseason sports hernia surgery after scoring a career-best 91 points in 2008-09. “So we’ve definitely got the tools in here to fill those roles, but we’re going to need some defensemen to play bigger minutes.”

After making the Ducks’ opening-night roster, Sbisa - the 19th overall pick in 2008 - will be expected to help captain Scott Niedermayer(notes) log those minutes.

“In this situation for him, (Sbisa) has shown us he’s above what we would deem a normal junior-age hockey player,” coach Randy Carlyle told the club’s official Web site. “He’s a 19-year-old competing for a position in the National Hockey League and he doesn’t look out of place doing it.”

Lupul, who played for Anaheim from 2003-06, scored 25 goals for the Flyers last season. He is expected to be on the Ducks’ second line with Teemu Selanne(notes) and Saku Koivu(notes), who was signed in July.

“(The young guys are) going to run the bus here,” said Selanne, 39. “They’re doing a great job. We’ve got so many young guys who can really do some damage in this lineup. Getz’s line is our No. 1 line, and that’s how it should be. But obviously our line wants to play well and do our part. Last year we didn’t have enough depth offensively to support the top line (of Getzlaf, Corey Perry(notes) and Bobby Ryan(notes)).”

The Ducks’ goaltending duties will be shared by Jean-Sebastien Giguere(notes) and Jonas Hiller(notes), who started all 13 of the Ducks’ playoff games last season.

Hiller went 4-2-0 with a 1.65 goals-against average and two shutouts in the playoffs against San Jose.

Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov(notes) had a 2.82 GAA in that series, but he’s 10-5-2 in his career in Anaheim during the regular season.

Coming off a career-best 38-goal season in 2008-09, San Jose’s Patrick Marleau(notes) scored twice in the season opener. The veteran left winger, however, struggled in the playoffs against the Ducks, totaling two goals and one assist in six games.

San Jose was 2-0-0 when Marleau scored in the postseason and 0-4-0 when he didn’t.

The Ducks dropped their first four games in 2008-09, including a 4-1 loss at San Jose in their season opener.

Updated Oct 2, 4:32 pm EDT
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Team Comparison

Team G W L OTL Pts Standings GF GA Road/Home
San Jose 37 22 8 7 51 1st, Pacific 122 97 13-6-2 Road
Anaheim 37 15 15 7 37 5th, Pacific 103 117 10-8-2 Home
NHL

22 Comments

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  1. DavidM
    22. Posted by DavidM Mon Oct 5 2:35pm EDT

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    Boosh.... It was a charity star......
  2. DavidM
    21. Posted by DavidM Mon Oct 5 2:30pm EDT

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    Hey W W don't go getting your panties in a ruffle... The season has just started and there's lots of hockey to be played still... But I will point out that we only play you guys six times and it's 1-0 the good guys... So I can see how your little comments can be the result of the 4-1 beating we put down on you the other night.. But its all good.. talk the smack.. As far as us shark fans are concerned we are going to let our teams play do the talking for us... and so far the talking looks pretty sweet after Saturday night...
  3. Greg
    20. Posted by Greg Mon Oct 5 2:00pm EDT

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    Sharts suck.
  4. Kris
    19. Posted by Kris Mon Oct 5 12:44pm EDT

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    Winning one relatively meaningless regular-season game isn't going to make anyone forget how the Sharks' lackluster playoff performance. That ignominious first-round exit wasn't a surprise to anyone who watched that series - simply put, Anaheim wanted it more and worked harder for it. That being said, Sharks had a good win and can build on that - but it's a LOOOOONNNGGGG season.
  5. Coondog
    18. Posted by Coondog Mon Oct 5 10:38am EDT

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    Hey W W, was I talking to you? NO, so STFU and keep you bill closed.
    Listen, no body wants to hear your quacking! Nobody cares about your Los Angles Dirty Ducks of Anahiem, except maybe you Disney characters out there in the vineyards. What experts are you talking about? Is Goofy writing you Los Angles sports news of Anahiem again? BOOM BOOM is all that you Quacks will be hearing this season.
  6. W W
    17. Posted by W W Mon Oct 5 1:33am EDT

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    In the Pacific Division, 4 out of 5 teams have lost their season opener this year, leaving the Phoenix Coyotes with a rare moment on top of the Pacific Division and hold on to 3rd in the Western Conference. Means absolutely nothing to the Ducks. Means about as much as the Sharks humiliating loss to Colorado (the team the experts so far predict to be 15th in the west at the end of the season). However SHARKS from SAN SO-GAY.... how's the President's Cup sitting after that pathetic loss to an 8th seed team? That's what I thought! And Heatley.... $7.5 for a great passer? The season has only begun and we'll see who sits where soon.
  7. Coondog
    16. Posted by Coondog Sun Oct 4 4:38pm EDT

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    I have not been such a big fan of the Heatley for Michalek / Cheechoo trade, however, last night Heatley showed me that he is one great passer! Looking forward to good things. The sharks are set for this year, and years to come!
    I watched the Avs play Vancouver yesterday, They handled the Canucks just like they did the Sharks. If they keep that up, get your reservations for you hotel rooms in Denver come April!
  8. COCKERTY
    15. Posted by COCKERTY Sun Oct 4 11:44am EDT

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    stats doesn't equal star of the game.....so many other parts of the game that you should check out before crying about the 3 stars
  9. Soloact
    14. Posted by Soloact Sun Oct 4 6:35am EDT

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    Dukfan, it seems that many teams are having flat-footed first games this season. Sharks included. They opened up on their 2nd game. Maybe your Ducks will open up on their 2nd game. Each game between any two teams is a unique game. One never knows how the season will turn out until it gets to the end.
    As a Sharks fan, I don't have to like the Ducks, but, as an hockey fan, I have to say that there is a lot of talent on your team. One must never give up on one's favorite team, whether they're champions or sitting dead last. A fan like that is a true fan. True fans, IMHO, are better people than bandwagon fans.
    I am an original Sharks fan, cheered for them at a pair of exhibition games during the preseason of the season before they actually drafted the team. Same with Baseball, I'm an old Oakland A's fan, became one when I was very young, and they were the first team I remembered, and have been to games when they were dead last, and been to a World Series game. I'm still a fan of theirs, look where they are this year.
    One can criticize their favorite team, and can also cheer them on. It's all part of being a fan.
  10. Tater Salad.
    12. Posted by Tater Salad. Sun Oct 4 4:34am EDT

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    Sharks choke the c.o.ck
    ducks of anaheim bit.ches
  11. DUKFAN
    11. Posted by DUKFAN Sun Oct 4 4:03am EDT

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    Everybody is right...I witnessed the listless effort first hand...3 hours round trip to watch the Ducks watching the Sharks beat them....at least Koivu, Lupul, Artuykhhin? Brown and Marchant got the memo that the season had started...everyone else was flat.....CRAP....

    plus Carlyle started the 2nd line in all 3 periods...and mized it up with different combos..I think he should put Koivu on the line with Marchant and Brown,,two quick scrappers and Saku may work...I don't know...after tonight I would try anything different to see what worked.
  12. DUKFAN
    10. Posted by DUKFAN Sun Oct 4 3:59am EDT

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    Everybody is right...I witnessed the listless effort first hand...3 hours round trip to watch the Ducks watching the Sharks beat them....at least Koivu, Lupul, Artuykhhin? Brown and Marchant got the memo that the season had started...everyone else was flat.....CRAP....

    good luck on the road Ducks.....DUKFAN till the end.
  13. jesus
    9. Posted by jesus Sun Oct 4 2:02am EDT

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    @#$% the sharks hten @#$%en chokers
    chok choke sharkies
  14. Coondog
    8. Posted by Coondog Sun Oct 4 1:51am EDT

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    Quack, quack; Dirty Quacks!
  15. Thomas
    7. Posted by Thomas Sun Oct 4 1:43am EDT

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    I really don't care what anyone thinks... Selanne is still a bad A.
  16. <i>shrk33</i>
    6. Posted by shrk33 Sun Oct 4 1:14am EDT

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    Who picked the 3 stars, Selanne, really a second start for 0 goals and 0 assists and the Ducks were terrible much of the game. Must have been a hometown bias to earn that.

    Nice bounce back game after the ugly loss to the Avs.

    Too bad Perry didn't get crushed in the boards or beat up!
  17. 1st and 10
    5. Posted by 1st and 10 Sun Oct 4 12:57am EDT

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    The Ducks played like chickens. ~ Go Sharks!
  18. Soloact
    4. Posted by Soloact Sun Oct 4 12:56am EDT

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    Thanks GJ, for filling us in on the CSNBA fail. Have put my "suggestion" in to my local cable co to pick up CSN-California. Hope they do, as there are thousands of Sharks fans in this area who are a bit upset about it.
  19. Boosh
    3. Posted by Boosh Sun Oct 4 12:53am EDT

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    How the heck was Teemu the 2nd star tonight ????
  20. <i>viper778991</i>
    2. Posted by viper778991 Sun Oct 4 12:51am EDT

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    Congratulations Ducks and your fans on an outstanding effort in your home opener.... oh yeah, the Ducks lost, in that case, according to ALL Ducks' fans, the game is completely meaningless, it's not the playoffs and hey aren't the Angels in the playoffs? SCOREBOARD : GO SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  21. GJ Berg
    1. Posted by GJ Berg Sat Oct 3 12:54pm EDT

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    Errata - Sharks are on CSN-California tonight. (No games this season are scheduled for CSNBA.)
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