Nabokov leads Sharks past Avalanche

Oct 31, 1:50 am EDT

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)—Ryane Clowe(notes) had reason to smile. He finally scored a goal this season and it came at an opportune moment.

Evgeni Nabokov(notes) made 24 saves, and Clowe and Jamie McGinn(notes) scored their first goals of the season to help the San Jose Sharks beat the Western Conference-leading Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Friday night.

Clowe went 21 games without scoring, matching his longest drought.

“I just got a pat on the back and a ‘Good job’ from the coach,” Clowe said. “It was nice to see the other guys on the ice because they were more excited than I was.”

Dany Heatley(notes) added his ninth goal of the season. The Sharks have won four straight and six of their last seven games. They are 9-4-1 overall and 4-0-1 at home.

“That’s how you have to beat (Craig) Anderson,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. “You’re not going to beat him on the first or second. You have to get him out of position and find the open net.”

Anderson stopped 43 shots, and Matt Duchene(notes) scored for the Avalanche (10-2-2). Colorado had won four straight and earned points in its last 10 games (8-0-2).

“It was one of those nights where they were throwing everything at the net; lots of bodies there,” Anderson said. “We were right there the whole time but they have a great team over there and they know how to score. They took it to us.”

Anderson continually turned away the Sharks in the first two periods, making 31 saves before Clowe scored with 6 seconds left in the second. Anderson stopped shots by Patrick Marleau(notes) and Rob Blake(notes) before Clowe slipped it past.

“When you’re getting that many shots on the net you feel good about yourself and the team,” Clowe said. “It was only frustrating because they had us pinned down for a couple of minutes before we scored.”

Heatley redirected a pass from Jason Demers(notes) early in the third period.

“We were fortunate to be in that game,” Colorado coach Joe Sacco said. “San Jose came out and played extremely hard. You can’t let them, with all their firepower, spend a lot of time in your end.”

Duchene scored a short-handed goal to make it 2-1, but McGinn knocked in a rebound 30 seconds later.

“That was huge because we kind of dropped it there when we gave up the short-handed goal,” McGinn said. “It was good to get it right back and put the pressure back on them.”

Anderson took responsibility for the quick score.

“It’s my job to stop them no matter what and I didn’t and they put the game out of reach,” he said. “Give him credit; it was a nice shot.”

NOTES: Avalanche left wing T.J. Galiardi(notes) was sent to Denver to have his injured right ankle examined. … Sharks center Joe Thornton(notes) took his first penalty of the season, an interference call late in the second period. … Colorado defenseman John-Michael Liles(notes) returned to the ice after missing seven games because of a bruised right shoulder. … The Sharks are 1 for 19 on the power play at home. … Avalanche center Matt Hendricks(notes) was placed on the injured reserve list and center Philippe Dupuis(notes) was recalled from Lake Erie. … Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle’s(notes) points streak was snapped at nine games.

Updated Oct 31, 1:50 am EDT
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31 Comments

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  1. WhiteIrishRebel
    31. Posted by WhiteIrishRebel Sat Oct 31 9:22pm EDT

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    how bout dem sharx
  2. <i>dontcrashanairplane</i>
    30. Posted by dontcrashanairplane Sat Oct 31 6:07pm EDT

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    Its all good, whiteirishrebel is trying to be blackmemphishood and succeeding fantastically.

    The Sharks have a good team, but so do the Avs. 10-2-2 is nothing to be ashamed about, so we lost our second game. We have great young talent that as the season grinds on will only get better and more puck savvy. Galiardi will be missed if for nothing else the energy he brings the third line, I just did not see that energy with Durno. I know it was his first game, but if he can bring the energy to that third line, he can be a very able bodied sub while the better TJ is out. Just as the Avs won at the Can, the Sharks should have won at the Tank, period end of story.
  3. Anthony
    29. Posted by Anthony Sat Oct 31 6:03pm EDT

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    Colin have you had that Ass tampered with lately????? Sure you have.Idiot!!!!!!

    Go Sharks!!!!!
    #1SharkFn
  4. Julian R
    28. Posted by Julian R Sat Oct 31 5:53pm EDT

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    Sharks are SCARY at home. Complete domination by the Sharks in this one. Need i say without Setoguchi, Pavelski and Mitchell. Marleau is a freak Im so glad the DW was smart enough to keep him.
  5. Fin-atic
    27. Posted by Fin-atic Sat Oct 31 4:05pm EDT

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    coondog,
    That it depended on which sharks team showed up last night. Thank god it wasn't the score 5 goals and play no defense squad. D played well and Nabokov looked more like Nabokov a couple of years ago than the way he has played thusfar this season. I agree with the earlier poster about Demers, that guy is kicking a$$. He was definitely a good addition.
  6. LW
    26. Posted by LW Sat Oct 31 2:44pm EDT

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    Nabokov did NOT lead the Sharks to victory, as the headline indicates. Av's merely did not generate enough shots and good scoring chances. The one good chance Av's did have was scored; that came from a typical Nabokov rebound that was fat and juicy.
  7. Coondog
    25. Posted by Coondog Sat Oct 31 2:27pm EDT

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    Mr. Clowe, Mr. Clowe

    It is Sharks, not sharks or sharkx take some community college classes.

    What is it that you called Fin-atic?
  8. b4k4^ni
    24. Posted by b4k4^ni Sat Oct 31 1:25pm EDT

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    D: McGinn's goal wasn't a rebound. .... besides that, GO SHARKS.
  9. Pure Evil
    23. Posted by Pure Evil Sat Oct 31 12:50pm EDT

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    AVs have had a nice October, but do any of you really think they're legit? Good to seem them enjoying some success after the last few years.

    I think the Sharks are starting to hit their stride. Manny, Nichol and Ortmeyer are contributing. We're getting solid play from the young guys. Patty is quietly tearing up goaltenders. Joe and Heater have looked unstoppable at times. I'm glad that the injuries have hit early and given the team some time to figure it out.

    As poorly as the Sharks have play thus far, they're 9-4-1. Not too shabby. Not a mention in the article about Big Joe's grill?

    BTW, it's "sharks." I know you're a rebel and all, but you sound like a real tool.
  10. Nwaf A
    22. Posted by Nwaf A Sat Oct 31 12:20pm EDT

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    the avs cant keep starting anderson so many games in a row.

    the dude is getting tired he aint superman.
  11. Icedragon
    21. Posted by Icedragon Sat Oct 31 11:21am EDT

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    @ tlrottman. I don't hate the Avs, contrary to your small minded belief. All I'm saying is that a huge reason for the Avs success (not the ONLY reason, but a pretty damn big one) is because of Anderson's play. He obviously kept them in the game last night for the first period and a half that the rest of the team clearly wasn't in.
  12. tlrottman
    20. Posted by tlrottman Sat Oct 31 5:43am EDT

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    Icedragon just hates the Avs. Go somewhere else, troll.
  13. b
    19. Posted by b Sat Oct 31 3:26am EDT

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    Amysue, its debatable about who has the most injuries, and while the road record really does show a good team, a look at competition is important as well.

    I would actually wager the sharks not having Seto, Pavs, or Mitchell is slightly worse (Thats two top 2 line forwards and a speedy, third liner who owns the PP)

    Thats alot of depth in THREE guys, let alone all the other injuries that have pestered the sharks as well. and thats JUST the sharks, there are tons of teams out there nursing injuries.
  14. Huy L
    18. Posted by Huy L Sat Oct 31 2:58am EDT

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    Love the Sharks. It was a good win. SJ will kick butt this year and Marleau wins MVP.
  15. <i>amysue4772</i>
    17. Posted by amysue4772 Sat Oct 31 2:44am EDT

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    oh no now were only 10-2-2, tied for the most october points in nhl history, and all inspite of having more injuries than anyone in the league and playing 11 of the first 15 games on the road. whatever will we do
  16. NHL_SharksFinatic
    16. Posted by NHL_SharksFinatic Sat Oct 31 2:15am EDT

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    It was nice to see both teams giving each other credit =D

    Finally, the Sharks pull of a solid 60 minute game. Sure, a few minutes they looked like they were stumbling, but they turned it around as soon as possible. Only sad part: Marleau didn't score :(

    Colorado fans: Don't be discouraged. For your sake, I hope the Avs lose a bit this first half. They need to struggle, especially Anderson. Last year, the Sharks were beastly in the first half of the season, and they fizzled the second half. It's sad to see that happen to any team (except for the Wings and Ducks hehe ;D - doesn't happen to them anyway haha). The Avs have surprised everyone so far... I honestly don't think they'll keep it up. Win the division? I think they can. The Cup? Lol.. WAY to early to tell...

    Good luck Avs! Go Sharks!
  17. BayareaWarrior
    15. Posted by BayareaWarrior Sat Oct 31 1:46am EDT

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    It is the sharks!!! not sharx!!!! geezzz!!! go sharks!!!
  18. WhiteIrishRebel
    14. Posted by WhiteIrishRebel Sat Oct 31 1:22am EDT

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    amazing 60 minutes from the sharx

    joe thornton is a soldier and that demers kid is sick
  19. Fin-atic
    13. Posted by Fin-atic Sat Oct 31 1:04am EDT

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    Don't want to say it, but I called it. Anderson played good, but the Sharks played better.
  20. WhiteIrishRebel
    12. Posted by WhiteIrishRebel Sat Oct 31 12:17am EDT

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    ryan clowe off the schniiiiiiiiiide
  21. Icedragon
    11. Posted by Icedragon Fri Oct 30 11:41pm EDT

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    Gee the shots are 25-6 yet the game is tied 0-0...yeah but Anderson has nothing to do with that...
  22. WhiteIrishRebel
    10. Posted by WhiteIrishRebel Fri Oct 30 11:18pm EDT

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    looking at the box score i see the sharx r still with out setoguchi, pavelski and mitchell... lucky for avz...
  23. Fin-atic
    9. Posted by Fin-atic Fri Oct 30 10:24pm EDT

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    I hate when people trash talk before the game. Most of the time they just look like idiots later. Colorado has nothing to do with this game. It depends on which Sharks team shows up to play - pure and simple. If it's the Sharks team that has to score 5 plus goals to win, they are in for a long night and colorado probably gets the W.
  24. ujhkhku
    8. Posted by ujhkhku Fri Oct 30 9:36pm EDT

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    zariath I don't think you have been in the 1st round for the past 2-3 years
  25. WhiteIrishRebel
    7. Posted by WhiteIrishRebel Fri Oct 30 6:41pm EDT

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    i am not a sharx fan thanks for playing though
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Goaltending

Goalie Team Shot Save
Craig Anderson Col 46 43
Evgeni Nabokov SJ 25 24

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