Joe Thornton's third-period goal was the
difference, and the San Jose Sharks secured the best record in NHL history
after 26 games with a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Sharks now stand at 22-3-1 for 45 points, which is slightly better than
the 44 points posted by both the 1929-30 Boston Bruins and 2001-02 Detroit Red
Wings, both of whom made the Stanley Cup Finals; however, only the Red Wings
captured the championship.
Jeremy Roenick and Patrick Marleau also scored for the Sharks, who have won
nine straight and have recorded at least a point in 10 straight games. San
Jose is now 14-0-1 at home and is the only team in the league without a home
regulation loss.
Evgeni Nabokov saved 29 shots in the victory.
"That was not our best game by any means," said Thornton. "Really, if Nabby
(Nabokov) did not play as well as he did we would have been blown out. It is
good we have a good goaltender tonight because we really needed it."
Rick Nash and Fredrik Modin tallied for the Blue Jackets, who snapped a two-
game win streak. Steve Mason allowed three goals on 22 shots in the loss.
Headed into the third tied at one, the Sharks finally managed to go ahead
early in the stanza, as Roenick grabbed a rebound out in front and put it over
Mason's left shoulder just 44 seconds into the final frame.
But the Blue Jackets tied the game three minutes later, as Modin emerged from
the boards with the puck and beat Nabokov past his left pad for the goal.
Thornton was able to bat the puck out of midair past Mason at 7:41, restoring
the lead for good for the Sharks at 3-2.
The Blue Jackets had a power play and also pulled the goalie in the final
minute, giving the team a 6-on-4 advantage. But the visitors couldn't find the
back of the net, and San Jose hung on for the win.
Columbus got on the board late in the first period, as Nash's wrister beat
Nabokov. Kristian Huselius got his 10th assist of the season on the play.
"In the first period we were all over them, we outshot them by a good margin,"
said Nash. "Our defense played good."
After a futile attempt on a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage, the Sharks got a power
play goal late in the second period to tie the game. Marleau got credit for
the goal on his backhand shot, which was assisted by Dan Boyle and Marc-
Edouard Vlasic at 14:57.
San Jose had another excellent chance with 2:50 left in the period, but Mason
grabbed the puck as it sat on the goal-line.
Game Notes
Thornton played in his 248th straight game for the Sharks, breaking Vincent
Damphousse's team record...The Sharks are within two games of tying their all-
time longest win streak, which was 11 games from February 21-March 14,
2008...Columbus is 0-15-1 all-time in San Jose.
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