Phillip Torres

October 12, 2013

Sports Radio Service

SAN JOSE-The San Jose Sharks (5-0) hosted the Ottawa Senators (1-1-2) on Saturday night at the SAP Center in San Jose. The Sharks returned from a road trip where they improved to 4-0 on the season only to stay undefeated after a 3-2 victory over the Senators to get to a great 5-0 record to start the 2013 NHL Season.

San Jose’s rookie sensation Tomas Hertl got the Sharks on the scoreboard early with a goal 55 seconds into the game. The goal was Hertl’s seventh of the season. The goal was assisted by Dan Boyle and Brent Burns.

Ottawa answered back late in the opening period. Zack Smith found the net for the first time this year as he scored his first goal of the season at the 15:21 mark. The score was assisted by Chris Phillips and Colin Greening. The goal tied the game up at 1-1

Bobby Ryan put the Senators on top for their first lead of the game with his second goal of the season. Ryan placed the puck perfectly into the top right corner of the net past Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi. The goal came on a power play, assisted by Jason Spezza and Patrick Wiercioch at 18:31. Ottawa gained the 2-1 advantage and carried it into the first intermission.

Patrick Marleau tied the game up at two goals apiece with his fourth of the season at 16:12 in the second period. Matt Irwin and Joe Pavellski assisted on the power play goal. Marleau’s back handed goal that came off of a deflection and into the top left corner of the net tied him for 83rd all time on the all time scoring list for goals. It was his 408th career goal. The score tied him with Ray Ferraro.

San Jose regained the lead at the 7:08 mark in the third and final period. Burns put the Sharks in front 3-2 with a goal with just one second remaining on the power play. The goal was Burns’ third of season, and it was assisted by Captain Joe Thornton and Matt Nieto. Burns nailed in the slap shot right in front of the net.

In desperation to avoid the loss, the Senators pulled their goalie with 1:15 left to play in regulation. The strategy did not prevail as the Sharks held on for the 3-2 win. The sellout crowd of 17, 562 had the SAP Center rocking all night long.

The San Jose Sharks will hit the road for the next two games as they will play the undefeated St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, and then travel to Dallas to take on the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Phillip Torres covers the San Jose Sharks for Sportsradioservice.com