Photo credit: Jim McIsaac

By Pearl Allison Lo

In the New Jersey Devils’ home opener, San Jose held off a third period comeback to win, 4-2 Saturday.

The deciding goal was Patrick Marleau’s fourth of the season, 1:36 into the third period, which capped the Sharks’ lead at 3-0. It started when the puck went up into the air after a Devils’ pass and Justin Braun nabbed it. Braun then passed it to Logan Couture, who passed it to Marleau on a 3-on-2. Marleau slyly looked away from the goal as if he was going to pass again, as he scored a no-look goal, surprising even the announcers.

San Jose’s first two goals came via power play at nearly identical times in the first two periods.

The 1-0 goal started with Joe Thornton behind the net, who passed to the left to Couture, who then passed to Brent Burns. Burns passed the puck back to Couture, who shot and Joe Pavelski scored at 17:53 off Couture’s rebound. It was Burns’ sixth assist.

Couture’s first goal of the season started with Burns stopping Stephen Gionta from clearing the puck. The puck then went down and up the ice from Burns to Thornton to Marleau, back to Thornton then Burns. Burns then made a pass across the ice to Pavelski, who passed the puck down to Marleau who was backwards and parallel to goalie Cory Schneider. Marleau finally passed the puck ahead to Couture in the slot, as Couture slid the puck past the sticks of two defenders at 17:52.

Antti Niemi’s shutout ended when on a 3-on-2, Jaromir Jagr passed behind his teammate to Mike Cammalleri, who one-timed his shot. It was 8:00 of the third period and Andy Greene aided on the play too. It was Cammalleri’s fifth goal.

New Jersey made it the threatening score of 3-2 at 12:10 on another 3-on-2. Initially credited to former Shark Ryane Clowe, the goal was later changed to Adam Henrique. Clowe and Michael Ryder were in front of the net, but the puck seemed to hit the Sharks’ Matt Irwin’s skate as well. Ryder and Jon Merrill got the help points.

San Jose shifted momentum back in their favor for good when a Devils’ pass went off Ryder’s skate. Thornton corralled the deflection, passed it to Pavelski as Schneider reached the bench, received the pass back and shot into the empty net with a diving defender in front of him.

Game notes:  Thornton now has 1,200 career points. The Sharks’ Tommy Wingels was tripped heading to the goal and had a penalty shot. Teammate Adam Burish had a shorthanded opportunity during a Scott Hannan penalty, but was denied. Friday, San Jose announced that James Sheppard was sent to Worcester for conditioning and the Allen Americans would be the Sharks’ ECHL affiliate. Saturday morning, San Jose announced that Mike Brown was placed on injured reserve and Eriah Hayes was recalled from Worcester. The Sharks will now travel across state lines to face the New York Rangers Sunday at 2p.