Author: smallforce

~ (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

LOS ANGELES~ January 27, 2017, the rest of the NHL100 were revealed at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theatre.

January 1, 2017, the first 50 years of players who played primarily from 1917-1966, were named in Toronto at the Centennial Classic.

So it was technically 67 legends, who played mostly ironically from the year 1967-present, who were announced Friday evening. GEICO & Emmy Award Jon Hamm presented as the athletes were grouped by position in decade.

The six current players put on the list were Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane.

The Sharks

Named to the NHL100 were former Shark Teemu Selanne and Larry Robinson, team director of player development. Robinson commented, “It’s a pretty humbling experience.” Amalie Benjamin tweeted, “Teemu Selanne was playing golf when he got the call about #NHL100. “I’m looking, Gary Bettman calling. What’s going on here?”

A lot of people felt Joe Thornton was snubbed.

Robinson, who played for the Kings, joined fellow former Kings Luc Robitaille and Marcel Dionne. Dionne stated, “Never forget where you came from” and “Never get too cocky.”

Before the game, the NHL100’s Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky entertained the media at LA Live’s JW Marriott. They unanimously agreed the late fellow NHL100 Gordie Howe was the ‘best ever’.

About the NHL100 experience, Gretzky replied, “We’re like little kids. We’re having more fun than anybody. In a full circle thread later, when talking about his eagerness of Orr to Orr’s former teammate when he was younger, Gretzky stated, “We’re fans as kids and we’re fans as players too.”

In an it would be nice to see scenario, Gretzky included the two men to his left, “the three of us would be pretty good at” 3-on-3 overtime.

Talking about the League, Orr commented, “…I don’t think there’s another sport where the number of players come back and continue to do things within the sport to make it better.”

A bit on the entertainment side

John Ondrasik from Five for Fighting played “100 Years” while honoring 24 players of the NHL100 now departed. Wayne Gretzky did a short introduction beforehand where he mentioned the late hockey fan Alan Thicke. Singer Robin Thicke was originally slated to honor his father. Thicke will also not be an assistant coach at the Celebrity Shootout anymore. Other assistant coaches not mentioned earlier are now Hockey Hall of Famer Billy Smith (Gretzky) and Echoes of Hope co-founder Stacia Robitaille (Lemieux). Kane and pop superstar Justin Bieber are also now playing in the charity game.

~ Photo credit: @NHL Twitter

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ The 2017 NHL All-Star game and all its surrounding festivities has arrived, and while the celebrations are not in the Bay Area, it is still in good old California. Hockeywood or Hockey goes Hollywood is taking place in Los Angeles’ Staples Center today through Sunday with giant pucks and other decorations.

The activities started with the NHL Fan Fair which runs from Thursday through Sunday. Once you get tickets online, make sure to go to http://nhl.com/FanFairPass or the NHL booth to book a picture with Lord Stanley’s Cup, try for prizes and more! The amount of experiences at the fair are immense and include a Q&A with the Keeper of the Cup Friday at 6pm, interactive experiences, the NHL Mascot Showdown and a ton of photo opportunities. Also available are autographs with Hall of Fame and NHL Alumni and for Kings fans, members of their team.

Friday afternoon, the NHL and LA Kings will showcase the NHL All-Star Legacy Project. It will show the renovations made at the Crenshaw Family YMCA.

In the evening, a Red Carpet show will be held at Microsoft Theatre, the NHL100, revealing the 100 greatest NHL players with the biggest gathering of hockey greats, 67 of the 100 present. Celebrity fans and the All-Star Players will join John Legend, Robin Thicke and more with tributes as well.

Saturday will feature the pregames before the actual event. This consists of the 2017 NHL All-Star Celebrity Shootout before the NHL All-Star Skills Competition. The Celebrity Shootout, which will pit Team Wayne Gretzky versus Team Mario Lemieux, will benefit the charity Echoes of Help, which serve the youth.

The All-Star Game on Monday will also feature musical performances by Nick Jonas, Fifth Harmony and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Some changes that were reported Thursday for the All-Star roster surround the Metropolitan Division and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Cam Atkinson will replace Evgeni Malkin and who will replace Coach John Tortorella has yet to be announced.

For you San Jose Sharks fans, the #8’s (Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns (#88)) will be joined by newcomers. Goalie Martin Jones and Coach Pete DeBoer will be making their first All-Star appearance.

If you cannot make the events in person, NBCSN will show the NHL100 Friday at 6:30pm PST, the All-Star Skills Competition Saturday at 4pm PST and the All-Star Game Sunday at 12:30pm PST.

~ (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ San Jose’s Patrick Marleau decided three goals was not enough, as he scored four in the third to power the Sharks over the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 Monday.

Marleau, chasing 500 goals, changed a 1-1 game drastically, with his avalanche of goals 494-497. It was his first four goal game in his 19 year career, as he became the oldest NHL player to score that number in a period, per Elias Sports. The ever humble Marleau’s analysis was, “Everything seemed to click there in the 3rd. Some really good plays from a lot of different players. Was able to finish them off.”

Not to be forgotten, this was after a line change before the final frame which dropped Marleau to the second line.

San Jose now has the longest active NHL streak with five games won, while Colorado tied a season-high six game losing streak.

Logan Couture finished the game a +5, Marleau and Mikkel Boedker a +4 and Marc-Edouard Vlasic a +3. Couture, Vlasic and Brent Burns each had a pair of assists.

The game started with unexpected absences. The Avalanche’s Matt Duchene fell ill and Colorado had no replacement. The recently returned Joonas Donskoi took a hit from Andreas Martinsen midway into the period and never came back to the ice.

Before the first period ended, the puck traveled from left to right along the boards and Burns took the puck between the boards and the left faceoff circle. His ensuing side diagonal shot became the first goal of the game at 19:00.

Jarome Iginla tied the game midway into the game and second period. He did it through a hard shot from the left faceoff circle on the power play at 10:02.

Marleau’s hat trick was uninterrupted.

His first goal came by way of Vlasic’s blue line shot, which he tipped into the net at 2:53.

Just over three minutes later, goal number two came as Marleau took the puck from Couture at the blue line and sped to singlehandedly jam in a wraparound goal.

Number three came even after Marleau ended in the penalty box. From a turnover, Burns got the puck to Marleau who raced out of the box and on a 2-on-1, Pavelski provided the hat trick assist.

Martinsen broke up Marleau’s goals as he got in on the action. The goal was initially challenged though, before it stood upon review.

The final Marleau goal came full circle, as Vlasic sent the puck past two blue lines to Marleau on a breakaway.

Game notes:  Both teams equaled or surpassed the first two period shot totals in the third period, with 13 for San Jose and 15 for the Avs. The Sharks play the second of a back-to-back Tuesday at 5pm.

~ (AP Photo/ Mark J. Terrill)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES– As the regular season matchup came to a close on Rivalry Night, it was another close scoring game as San Jose emerged on top, 3-2 Wednesday versus the Los Angeles Kings.

Four out of the five-game series were one goal games, including the last three. The Sharks never trailed, but held a two-goal lead only for 5:19.

Both San Jose’s Joe Thornton and the Kings’ Dustin Brown had two assists apiece.

The Sharks’ Logan Couture missed his first game of the season, giving birthday boy Ryan Carpenter the opportunity to start.

“…we called some guys up and had a little bit of a thin line up, but I thought we competed our ass off. We played hard, this isn’t an easy building to win in. They play a physical game and we stood in there and played a real, complete game,” said San Jose coach Peter DeBoer. Joe Pavelski echoed, “It was a good feeling in this room when we came in here…you just felt like you put in a complete effort.”

The Sharks struck first when Brent Burns sniped the top right corner of the net through traffic at 3:31. Melker Karlsson got the puck along the boards and sent it to Joe Thornton. Thornton eventually turned around and made his way to the blue line, passing the puck to Burns. The puck went off Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar on its way to its destination.

Then in less time than San Jose’s first goal took, the Kings tied the game. After Brown’s pass, Derek Forbort, in a similar position to Burns, sent the puck  to the net. Tanner Pearson in front, pushed Justin Braun aside to bat the puck into the net at 5:46. The goal was challenged for goalie interference, but it remained a 1-1 game.

The Sharks tacked on another goal with an odd man rush. Tommy Wingels finished the pass from Micheal Haley across Jake Muzzin’s stick and let the puck fly at 15:42.

Both teams traded penalties again in the second period, but this time San Jose capitalized on their side. Not too long after the faceoff, Joel Ward deflected Thornton’s shot to the backboards and Pavelski jammed the puck under Peter Budaj’s leg 10 minutes into the period for the 3-1 lead.

13 seconds after penalties that left Los Angeles shorthanded ended though, they inched back closer. The Kings took several shots at Martin Jones within the midst of a sea of Sharks and Marian Gaborik scored with Thornton in net at 15:19.

It was surprising that each team only scored one goal apiece in the period. There were a total of 10 penalties in the middle frame, with the period ending on a penalty to Patrick Marleau, an illegal check to the head.

In the third, action included a Haley shot that hit the post, three wrist shots saved by Jones in a matter of 10 seconds and a Mikkel Boedker breakaway attempt.

When asked if glad to be done with Los Angeles already, DeBoer concurred, “If we don’t see them again, I’ll be alright with that.”

Game notes: San Jose’s Marc-Edouard Vlasic had a game-high six hits. San Jose next plays the Lightning Thursday at 7:30pm.

~Photo credit: Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ Logan Couture clinched the comeback for San Jose with its third unanswered goal in a 3-2 rally over the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday.

In the Sharks’ first shootout of the season, San Jose’s Joe Pavelski’s shot clanked off the crossbar during Round One. Couture scored in Round Two. If shootout goals counted, it would have been his second goal in as many games.

Sharks’ goalie Martin Jones three saves in the shootout included a save against Auston Matthews, who had scored against Jones earlier and had an assist.

Both Jones and goalie Frederik Andersen had their fill during overtime, which featured five shots between the teams. One of Jones’ saves was against a hard shot by Mitchell Marner and the Sharks’ Kevin Labanc also had a slight breakaway attempt.

Despite many chances on the power play, San Jose found themselves down in a 2-0 hole midway during the game. It started when Zach Hyman repositioned Matthews’ shot at 6:58 of the first.

The Sharks had six shots during their two power plays in the period, four during the first and even a shorthanded shot on goal.

They were hoping their luck would turn when a goal by Nazem Kadri morphed into a goaltender interference penalty 3:31 into the second period. San Jose ended up with two shots.

Then, things got worse. With two penalties 23 seconds apart, one goalie interference by Matt Nieto, Matthews scored at 7:46. Perched near the goalline, he took a pass by William Nylander at the top before scoring short side.

The Sharks had three shots during their fifth power play in the third period. With time winding down, Justin Braun broke through after a nice pass by Chris Tierney. With a defender in between him, Braun scored his first of the season from the slot at 12:43.

Just under three minutes later, San Jose took their sixth power play and it finally paid off. Pavelski won the faceoff, sending the puck to Patrick Marleau. Marleau found Brent Burns and Pavelski finished his shot with the famous tip-in flourish just four seconds into the power play to tie the game.

Game notes: The Sharks now have the third longest streak in the NHL with seven games won in a row at Toronto. Half of San Jose’s injuries was on the ice, with David Schlemko returning but Marc-Edouard Vlasic out. The Maple Leafs blocked 21 to the Sharks’ nine shots. San Jose gets right back it again Wednesday at 4pm in Ottawa for a rematch against the Senators.

~ Photo credit: Jae C. Hong AP Photo

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ ANAHEIM– While not as late of a goal, San Jose lost their second game in a row in similar fashion as the Ducks won 3-2 Friday.

The Sharks created another 2-0 hole in the first and before the game winner, it was another 2-2 game. In fact, it could have been another 4-2 ending on an empty netter, if Brent Burns did not more glaringly stop the second shot from Andrew Cogliano.

The winning play started with Anaheim’s Nick Ritchie, playing against Brenden Dillon, as Ritchie turned and paused briefly before passing to Hampus Lindholm at the top of the circle. Lindholm used Ward as a screen as the puck went between Ward’s legs and Martin Jones’ arm and pad, leaving Jones shaking his head. It was Lindholm’s first goal of the season at 14:22.   

Sharks’ coach Peter DeBoer said, “We’re finding ways to lose instead of win, and we got to get on the other end of that.”  

Still with the extra attacker, San Jose’s Kevin Labanc and Joel Ward had shot opportunities until Dylan Demelo committed a tripping penalty with 21.3 seconds left. After that, the Ducks had three shots until the game ended.  

In the tight Pacific division, Anaheim now sits at first place while the Sharks fall to fourth. The postgame notes revealed the Ducks have now earned standings points in six of its last seven games.

Anaheim’s Rickard Rakell made an immediate contribution in his return to the ice.  Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s clear went to Shea Theodore. Rakell then took Theodore’s rebound and went around Jones’ left pad to score at 4:44.

For the Ducks’ second goal, Antoine Vermette passed to Theodore who passed back to Vermette. Vermette’s soft shot went past Jones diagonally at 15:06.

However, Rakell committed cross checking with just over two minutes left in the first. San Jose took advantage of the momentum less than two seconds after the power play was over. From the boards, Joe Pavelski passed to Patrick Marleau and from the edge of one faceoff circle to the other, Marleau found Burns. His quick shot came from a lunge position and went top shelf with just 5.7 seconds remaining. It was Burns’ third goal in as many games and fourth in five.  

Jakob Silfverberg was the only player for Anaheim with multiple shots in the period, with four

In the second period, two shots found goalie Jonathan Bernier instead of the net, as he was in position left and out of the net. At 8:40 though, Bernier was against the net and turning as Labanc scored from the left to even the score. The way the puck reached Labanc was similar to first goal with Ward and Couture replacing Pavelski and Marleau. It was Pavelski’s third assist in as many game and fourth point in three games.

The Ducks had two power play opportunities during the period.

It was over a period’s worth of time until the deadlock was broken.

On how the guys felt going into the third period, Labanc replied, “We felt confident, a little too confident, I’d say. We stopped skating, we stopped dumping the puck in and working hard in the corners…It’s a good learning experience…We just got to play the full 60.

Game notes: The Sharks’ David Schlemko continued to remain out. San Jose goes back home to finish a back-to-back against Carolina at 7:30pm Saturday.