Tag: San Jose Sharks

Larry Levitt on the NHL

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by Larry Levitt

SAN JOSE–The Youth coming into the NHL now has such talent it’s really amazing to see there’s so many teenagers and 21 year olds coming in here in the first year and they are not intimidated by the game or the speed or the pace and they’re actually holding their own. Of course Tomas Hertl of the Sharks is also one them.

The Anaheim Ducks are near the bottom in penalty kills but the Ducks are on the move and are in first and statistics can be skewed a little. When you have a very bad penalty kill and your not doing well and yet your doing great five on five, your playing five on five more than your killing penalties hopefully so there are more full strengths than making it up on the other end.

The Sharks looked pretty good against Phoenix the other day in a shoot out loss 3-2 at SAP arena last Saturday night the way I would explain this game they have moments where they fall asleep and lose their focus and those moments are when good teams capitalize on you and the Coyotes are a very good team this year.

Every team in the west is very well rounded but the team that the Sharks usually have trouble with the Coyotes being one of them is because of the great goaltending of Mike Smith. They took advantage of him in the first game when he was really off his game but when he’s on his game he’s a tough guy to beat. They could have beat him it’s the Sharks own fault they had some loses of focus and allowed some really cheap goals but it is what it is and they’ll take the one point out of it as a gift.

My biggest fear is Buffalo their an NHL team, yes they play in the east and their record is 2-13-1 so they’re really playing poorly on the stat sheet but their actually a pretty good team. They’re a young team they have four young rookies on their team that are doing actually quiet well. The problem is when the Sharks face a team like the Sabers you don’t want to mail a game like that in.

You need to go out there and play your game, the way the Sharks need to look at that game last Tuesday night and say “let’s use this as a real good fine tune to get our focus and get our system in place and get ready for Vancouver Thursday night” but you can not look past Buffalo. You got to play that game and you got to really bear down and if it happens to be a blow out then use your third and fourth lines.

If it’s not a blow out you really need to stay focus because they’re an NHL team and in any game, any team, can win on any given night. The Canucks are no exception but I don’t know if they’re buying into head coach Mike Tortorella’s system and it’s going at the one step that Phil Kessler and and the Sedin twins are one, two and four for forwards time on ice in the NHL. So the Canucks top line is logging a lot of minutes.

Larry Levitt does NHL and ECHL hockey commentary each week for Sportstalk Radio

Dan Rusanowsky inducted to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame

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That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary
Dan Rusanowsky, popular play by play announcer for San José Sharks since their first season in 1991, was inducted to the Class of 2013 of the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame(BARHOF)at ceremony in Spenger’s Fish Grotto in Berkeley.
Rusanowsky who also serves as producer of all Sharks broadcasts, is a 33 year old veteran of hockey broadcasting. Native of Milford, Connecticut, has has served as a guest host on KNBR, as well as the nationally syndicated “Sports Byline USA”and “Sports Overnight America”programs.
 During his acceptance speech, Dan talked about,  “first letter I ever received as a Sharks announcer, was from an inmate at San Quentin, -who by the way also asked me for a Sharks media guide-” he was a listener, and he’s still there… The Sharks games are heard on KUFX(“K-Fox”) and the Sharks Radio Network.
Other inductees were Jane Morrisson, a ground-breaker as a teenage journalist in Oklahoma, later working for the Associated Press in Kansas City. Honored for her 30-year tenure as community affairs director at KNBR beginning in the early 1960’s. Roy Trumbull, in the category of engineering.
 Roy, a Marine County Native, worked at KDFC,KMPX,KBRG,KAFE,KPAT and KRE.later also worked at KNEW and KCBS, he began his career in 1962. In the category of specialty, Mike Pechner also known as “the weatherman’s weatherman”. He started at KCBS in 1968. Inducted as educator, the legendary Henry Leff.
 The Brooklyn-born Leff, developed the broadcasting department as San Francisco State College in 1948, nurturing numerous established radio journalist in the Bay Area and elsewhere.
For news, Barbara Taylor, KCBS longtime City Hall Bureau chief who joined the station in 1975, as well as Mike Sugarman well known for his weekly “About The Bay. In the category of owner/manager, the late Bill Weaver of KLOK-AM(San José and FM(San Francisco). And in the announcer/personality Dennis Erectus Netto a groundbreaking DJ on South Bay rock radio, most notable on KOME-FM, as well as Bobby Ocean a DJ on Top 40 powerhouse KFRC in the ’70’s.
Legendary Station: Went to KSFO, born as KTAB in Oakland in 1925  reached it’s apex in the 1950’s and 1960s as “the world’s greatest radio station with numerous Hall of Fame talent, among those Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons Jim Lange, Don Sherwood, Gene Nelson, Al “Jazzveaux”Collins, Terry McGovern, Carter B.Smith and Aaron Edwards, under the ownsership of the great “singing cowboy”and businessman Gene Autry’s Golden West Broadcasting.
For more info on the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame visit:  www.barhof.com
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is a member of the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame and does News and Commentary each week on Sports Radio Service

Sharks lose heartbreaker in shootout

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By: Phillip Torres

November 2, 2013

SAN JOSE-The San Jose Sharks (10-1-3) were defeated by the Phoenix Coyotes (10-3-2) Saturday night at the SAP Center in a heartbreaking loss 3-2. The game was determined by shootout.

Phoenix started off very strong as they scored just 36 seconds into the game. The goal was scored by Antoine Vermette and assisted by Rob Klinkhammer and Mikkel Boedker. The Sharks had a chance to tie the game up after a Coyote penalty lead to a four minute power play for San Jose. San Jose could not convert on it and the Coyotes led 1-0 after the first period despite being outshot 16-7 by the Sharks.

Joe Pavelski put the Sharks on the board early in the second period as he scored his sixth goal of the season at 1:16. Dan Boyle gave the Sharks the 2-1 advantage shortly after with his second goal of the season on a power play. The goal was assisted by Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton at 5:10 in the middle period.

The Coyotes tied the game at 2-2 midway through the period with a goal from Boedker. Derek Morris earned the assist on the game tying goal. With the score tied at two goals apiece going into the second intermission, the Sharks outshot the Coyotes 31-14.

The third period went scoreless resulting in a tie at the end of regulation, forcing an overtime period. Overtime also went scoreless and the game went into a shootout.

The Sharks lost the shootout 2-1 with Vermette scoring the clincher to give Phoenix the 3-2 victory.

The Sharks will be back on the ice on Tuesday as they will host the Buffalo Sabers. The puck will drop at 7:30 pm.

Sharks win in shutout

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By Phillip Torres

MONTREAL-The San Jose Sharks (9-1-1) defeated the Montreal Canadians (6-5-0) 2-0 on Saturday night. Logan Couture scored both of the goals for the Sharks to propel them to the victory. Antti Niemi recorded 22 saves to earn the shutout.

Patrick Marleau earned both of the assists to Couture’s goals. Couture’s first goal was scored in the second period, as the first period went scoreless. The first goal was scored at the 6:20 mark on the power-play. The score remained 1-0 going into the second intermission.

The third period remained very defensive as just one goal was scored. The goal was from Couture once again and made it 2-0. The goal was scored at the 4:09 mark in the third and final period. The goal was his sixth of the season.

Larry Levitt on Sharks and Bulls hockey

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by Larry Levitt

SAN JOSE–The Sharks who brought a winning streak into Dallas on Thursday night lost a tough one in overtime during a shootout 4-3. The Sharks didn’t play their brand of hockey. They got a little sloppy and they really didn’t recover in this one. In the past when you saw them making a mistake they would clean it up between periods and they would come out fresh.

However on Thursday in Dallas they weren’t really clean and the puck wasn’t bouncing their way they had a lot of bad bounces. They also lost their captain Dan Boyle on a brutal head injury on Tuesday night in St. Louis and it’s not so much the hit that happened it’s the visual of seeing him laying there knocked out like a prize fighter on the ice.

Boyle had his jaw popped and it knocked him out which is kind of scary and we’ve learned that Boyle is doing well, he left St. Louis on Wednesday and flew back to the Bay Area and was looked at by doctors on Thursday in San Jose. Boyle’s prognosis is going to be alright but to see the injury face to face that has a weight on you and that’s the lasting impression the team had as he was carted off the ice on Tuesday night.

The hit on Boyle wasn’t a dirty hit but it was a bad penalty and it was a boarding call and it wasn’t an intentional dirty hit. The fact that the actual boards where a piece of the glass it bounced and he got pushed into the dashboards which was a penalty. It wasn’t a bad illegal hit but it just hit him the right way where his jaw hit the dashboard where it sticks out.

Blues forward Maxim Lapierre didn’t even know that Boyle was laying there and he was knocked out and as you see the replay he was skating off watching the puck and finishing the check, yeah it was illegal check there’s no if, ands and buts about it and Lapierre has to take responsibility for what he did but it could have been much, much worse.

Bulls talk about home opener on Nov 8th: The San Francisco Bulls the minor league affiliate of the Sharks start their regular season home schedule on November 8th at the Cow Palace after an eight game road trip starting tonight (Friday) and it’s should be an exciting second season. The Bulls actually start on the road because of the Grand National Rodeo at the Cow Palace.

The Bulls open their season against the Alaska Aces for the first of two game series. It’s interesting because it’s a 7PM game time but because it’s in Alaska it’s really 8PM there because of the time difference. The Park 77 in San Francisco is hosting a viewing party for Bulls fans and their going to be doing that all weekend.

A lot of the Bulls players stay in that location and it will be an interesting season and their coming up for their second year and head coach Pat Curcio is in his second year with the Bulls. There are eight players returning from last year so he’s got some people who know Curcio’s system and his terminology already it’s not going to be just two guys starting a new thing.

Hockey is a great sport and the more you play together the easier it is to play as a team. The Aces knocked the Bulls out of the playoffs to end their season last year and opening up in Alaska this year it’s going to be interesting at first and like I said it’s a new team and there are some returning players but Alaska has got a new team too.

The benefit for the Bulls on this road trip they go in October before the snow hits Alaska and it will allow the Bulls to get accumulated to the weather easier and get comfortable with what’s going on and starting a road trip can be a plus and it could be a good bonding thing for the guys. It’s not like their going to have a lot of time on their hands to go sightseeing and do other things their going to have their minds strictly on hockey.

Larry Levitt does weekly commentary on San Jose Sharks and San Francisco Bulls each week

San Francisco Bulls announce Opening Day roster

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Bulls

by Kahlil Najar

SAN FRANCISCO –

The San Francisco Bulls announced today their Opening Day Roster. The new roster consists of  two goaltenders (Tyler Beskorowany and J.P. Anderson), seven defensemen (Kyle Bigos, Andrew Eastman, Josh Kidd, Dylan King, Damon Kipp, Scott Langdon and Steven Tarasuk) and 11 forwards (Kris Belan, Chris Crane, Brett Findlay, Luke Judson, Mark Lee, Ryan McDonough, Dale Mitchell, Jordan Morrison, Christian Ouellet, Dean Ouellet and Brett Parnham).

There is some veteran leadership coming back as there are seven players returning for the Bulls: King, Langdon, Belan, Findlay, Morrison, C. Ouellet and D. Ouellet. Last years top goal scorer Peter Sivak is not on this years roster as he signed with the Alaska Aces this off-season and will face off against his former team in the first game of the season this Friday in Anchorage.

 

Larry Levitt on Sharks and Bulls hockey

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 by Larry Levitt

DALY CITY–The San Jose Sharks who opened up their first three games at SAP Arena and won all three there’s nothing like home cooking that makes a big difference. The team is well rounded they have strength throughout all four lines now. The fourth line is a little weaker than what I would have expected but surprisingly their coming through really strong probably the biggest surprise obviously is just analyzing the guys individually it looks like Joe Pavelski has taken his game to another level too.

Pavelski is one of those players that’s out on the ice a lot and does a lot of the little things that doesn’t get noticed by most people and it’s really exciting to see him have a good year. For Tomas Hertl scoring four goals on Tuesday night against the New York Rangers he doesn’t speak much English so maybe when the fans are yelling at him he doesn’t get too excited and doesn’t realized what he’s done or what he hasn’t done and he’s a 19 year old rookie.

Hertl is exciting the best part he puts the fun back into the game he’s always smiling and on the other hand you have to feel sorry for the Rangers they were playing on back to back nights coming from Los Angeles where they played the Kings the night before and it was a tough game. They really didn’t have their legs and were always slow to the puck and there have never been more pucks that have bounced the right way than that night.

Everytime the puck went off something it went right to a Shark and Joe Thornton got a lucky bounce it was a clearing pass it went off the end of a stick that was laying on the ice that was broken and went right to Thornton so he was able to pass it right up to Hertl and there was a goal. Every bounce seemed to go right for the Sharks that night to a Shark player.

The Rangers goalie Hendrick Lundquist was pulled from the game and sometimes when you pull the goalie to make a statement to your team because they’re not playing well and sometimes you pull the goalie because he’s not playing well. It was a combination of both but the team didn’t really support him at the beginning the Rangers did get the first goal of the game but it was on a five on three power play but after that they really didn’t support him. They were really slow to the puck and when they were shooting it and getting the puck they were trying to knock it off the boards and it would bounce right to the Sharks players.

The Sharks win that one 9-2 and played the Canucks on Thursday night and continue their winning streak now at 4-0 after winning their first road game in Vancouver.

San Francisco Bulls update: Bulls head coach Pat Curcio is quite a head coach and he’s really helped a lot of players and one of the players actually made it to the NHL playing for Toronto they see that Curcio has a lot of heart he’s put a lot into the team and therefore their going to try and benefit from that and make their career better for that reason.

The Bulls are an exciting club to watch in their first year they did very well they made the playoffs their expectations were set any lower. The thing is just keep that exciting brand of hockey going and keep it out in the neighborhood that their playing well and playing hard and the people who are really enjoying the sport will come watch them.

The longest part of travel for the Bulls are when they make their long trek to Alaska to play the Aces which they have on tap for the first week in April. The Bulls will miss the freezing ice and snow and the beginning of April will work for them. The players love to play the sport it’s just a matter of the travel and once your in the ice rink and skating it’s all just a game.

As far as the travel when your in a minor league set up like the ECHL your going to have the buses your going to have the long drives not as much luxury but that’s part of paying your dues to get in the Big Boy league.

The Bulls have a long eight game road trip to open up the season with the rodeo coming to the Cow Palace which takes precedence so they’ll melt the ice after these two pre season games at the Cow Palace. The Bulls will go on the road and sometimes being on the road forces a team together more and maybe be more solid of team players. There’s no where to hide when your own the road. Your so close to each other and that might be a benefit if they play their cards right they make it a benefit.

Larry Levitt does weekly commentary on San Francisco Bulls and San Jose Sharks hockey for Sportstalk Radio

Hertl scores four in Sharks big victory

Published on by Ivan MakarovLeave a comment
New_York_Rangers_vs._San_Jose_Sharks_-_Photos_-_October_08__2013_-_ESPN
SAN JOSE, CA – OCTOBER 8: Tomas Hertl #48, Matt Irwin #52 and Jason Demers #10 of the San Jose Sharks celebrate Hertl’s goal against the New York Rangers during an NHL game on October 8, 2013 at SAP Center in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

By Ivan Makarov

With the strong preseason and a three points in two games to start his rookie campaign in the NHL, Tomas Hertl was no longer a mystery around the NHL coming into the game against New York Rangers. But the show that he put on Tuesday night will be remembered for a long time in San Jose and beyond.

Four goals scored by the Sharks forward was the most ever scored by the rookie in teal as Sharks went on to win the game 9-2. The crowd gave Hertl a standing ovation and he couldn’t stop smiling while sitting on the bench.

“This is crazy. This is like a dream, ” said Herlt after the game. “Four goals! Never even in a Czech league have I had three goals. NHL.. It’s crazy!”

The most beautiful goal scored by Hertl was the one that will be replaying on TV networks and online for a while, as he put it between his legs and backhanded with a great move top shelf while on the breakaway.

“[That move] is something I don’t have in my bag,” said Joe Thornton, laughing, while talking about the goal. “It was awful pretty.”

San Jose played a great game from start to finish, and with the help of good bounces, things went their way and the score showed it.

The most telling goal about how it all went came about in the second period. It was 3-1, the Sharks were outhitting, out skating and out playing the Rangers by that point. Not that they really needed it this time, but the luck went their way once again as Sharks rookie Tomas Hertl picked up a puck that was stopped on the ice by opponents’ broken stick. With speed, Hertl broke through and with a nice move put it behind New York’s goaltender Henrick Lundquist to make it 4-1 and chase Lundquist out of the game only half way through.

All of 15 Sharks ended the game with points, including Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi. Five Sharks had multi-point games.  Hertl was not the only rookie who had a memorable night, as Matt Nieto scored a goal and recorded two assists on the third line.

Rangers’ Brad Richards opened the score  when his team was on 5-on-3 power play early in the game as Brad Stuart got penalized for elbowing and Sharks sent another player into the box for having too many men on the ice during that penalty. Richards was an open player at the top of the face-off circle and he beat Antti Niemi on the glove side.

Sharks were still killing a penalty when a counter attack chance turned into a goal when Marc Eduard Vlasic scored on a shot from high inside the zone, which seemed to have surprised Rangers all star goaltender Henrick Lundquist. Vlasic’s goal was his first of the season and tied the game at 1-1.

Three minutes later, Dan Boyle made it 2-1 as he slap shot the puck from the blue line right after the face-off win by Joe Pavelski inside the Rangers zone. Boyle was helped by Tommy Wingels who was screening Lundquist in front as he was skating by.

But it was in the second period when Sharks energy really picked up and they took over the game completely, scoring three goals in three minutes, making it 5-1 in their favor. Such outcome completely deflated the Rangers who were playing on the second night in a row after a game in Los Angeles against the Kings on Monday night.

A memorable performance by the Sharks rookie helped get the Sharks get to 3-0 on the season before they get on the road, as they play in Vancouver on Thursday night.

Game Notes

  • Tomas Hertl became the youngest NHL player to score four goals in a game since March 30, 1988 (Jimmy Carson, Los Angeles Kings). In total, he is the 4th youngest player in NHL history to score 4 or more goals [Credit: Elias Sports].
  • Tomas Hertl becomes the only player to score a total of six goals in his first three games as a Shark. Rob Gaudreau (1992-93) and Jan Caloun (1995-96) had four goals in their first three games as a Shark, the highest totals before tonight.
  • Tomas Hertl’s four goals ties a Sharks franchise record for most goals in a game by a Shark (Owen Nolan, 12/19/95 @ Anaheim).
  • Tomas Hertl logged 11:12 of ice time during tonight’s game. He becomes the fourth player since 1987-88 to log less than 11:30 of ice time and score four goals in a single game.
  • Players who now have three game point streaks: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Patrick Marleau, Tomas Hertl, and Logan Couture.
  • Marc-Edouard Vlasic became the 12th Sharks defenseman to score a shorthanded goal (Last: Scott Hannan, 03/16/07 vs. Columbus) [Credit: Darin Stephens].
  • Matt Nieto scored his first NHL point with an assist on a Dan Boyle goal, and followed that up with his first NHL goal at the 8:16 mark of the second period. Nieto finished the game with three points (1-2=3), a +2 rating, and the game-winning goal.
  • Jason Demers set a career high in points as well as assists (0-3=3).

Sharks dominate in season opener

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by Ivan Makarov

San Jose Sharks' Tommy Wingels (57) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
San Jose Sharks’ Tommy Wingels (57) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

SAN JOSE, CA – It’s a new beginning for the Sharks as they opened their season against Vancouver Canucks. With several new players in the lineup, they started with a bang and the 4-1 victory at home, winning 10th straight against the Canucks.

Brent Burns, Justin Braun, Patrick Marleau and Tommy Wingels scored for the Sharks while Antti Niemi made 21 saves to earn  his first victory in the net this season.

The Sharks didn’t get the big goal advantage until late in the third period, but they played well all throughout the game, and their victory was not surprising.

“I thought the effort was good,” said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan after the game. “Some of the things that we worked on in training camp showed throughout the game, so it’s a good sign. I thought there was some cohesion with the lines, which was good as well. … Everybody found a way to contribute.”

Jason Garrison opened the score in the game half way through the first period as Cancucks went on the power play after Brent Burns was sent to the penalty box after a slashing call against him. Canucks scored quickly after Garrison got a pass from behind the net from Daniel Sedin as he was open in a high slot. He fired the puck on a one-time attempt and put it into the net.

After a slow start in the second period, Sharks woke up 6 minutes into it. Thomas Hertl had the puck in the central circle and some speed. He had Brent Burns on his right and passed the puck to him right as Burns skated past the blue line into the Canucks zone. Burns kept accelerating and as he got to the right point, he fired the puck high and above Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo shoulder into the net, tying the game at 1-1. This was Thomas Hertl’s first NHL point.

“Tommy made a great play as I was coming wide with speed,” said Brent Burns after the game. “I’ve been taking a lot of heat from the coaches for not shooting, so I didn’t know if anybody else was out there and I was just shooting.”

Sharks got another break four minutes later as they went on 5-on-3 power play for two minutes, with two Canucks getting called into the penalty box. They moved the puck well, but not enough to have any scoring chances, putting just three shots on goal during those two minutes.

After more power play frustration throughout the period, Sharks put another goal on board as Justin Braun shot the puck from the blue line, with a group of players in front of him. With Logan Couture screening Luongo, the puck flew into the net, giving Sharks 2-1 lead.

But it was in the third period when things finally started to click for the Sharks, at least on event strength, as Sharks would end the night with 0/8 on the power play. First it was Patrick Marleau at 14:39 who scored from the left circle after Logan Couture stole the puck from one of the Canucks players and set him up to give the Sharks two goal lead. Tommy Wingels sealed the victory for the Sharks little over a minute later as he tipped in a pass from Andrew Desjardins as two were on a breakaway, which made it 4-1 for the Sharks with just four minutes remaining in the game.

It was a great way to open the season for the Sharks against a divisional rival. They’re back in action on Saturday as they host Phoenix Coyotes.

Sharks thump on the Canucks at home

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by Ivan Makarov

SAN JOSE, CA — A lot of things went right for the Sharks in their preseason game against Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on Tuesday night.

They got plenty of scoring chances which resulted in a lot of goals. They limited the Canucks scoring chances to close to nothing, which helped Antti Niemi earn a shutout. They avoided the penalty box all night. Their lines seems to gel well together. And they won their game 5-0.

“Once we established [the pace of the game], we were on puck, we were hard,” said happy Sharks head coach Todd McLellan after the game. “The special teams were great tonight.”

Of course, it was just a preseason game with very little on the line. But even then, the coaches are watching and are experimenting with player combinations, tactics and special teams, building the foundation for a long season ahead.

Sharks rookie Tomas Heart opened the score early in the game at 10:37 of the first period. Deep inside the Canucks zone, Scott Hannan shot the puck from a sharp angle just outside the center circle, allowing Hertl, who stood right in front of the net, and puck went off him into the net. This was Hertl’s second goal of the preseason, as he’s getting great looks playing on the top line alongside Joe Thornton and Brent Burns.

Dan Boyle increased the Sharks lead to 2-0 three minutes as he scored on a wrist shot from a pass from Tyler Kennedy as he joined the attack. Kennedy did all the work on that goal, hitting the goalpost earlier, and keeping the puck inside the zone after it rebounded off Canucks goaltender Eddie Lack and then finding Boyle wide open.

Once it started to rain, it began to pour.

Joe Thornton added third goal for the Sharks half way through the second period after he scored on a one timer after a pass by Patrick Marleau on the Sharks power play.

Logan Couture added to the scoreboard on yet another Sharks power play with less then a minute remaining in the second period. Standing right between the face-off circles, he got a quick pass form Joe Pavelski, and fired it on goal and into the net with his signature wrist shot. That made it 4-0 for the Sharks.

This marked two power play goals for the Sharks top power play unit, which McLellan mentioned will stay intact. The second unit had its chances, but McLellan indicated he’ll continue to change who’s playing there.

Thomas Hertl made another case that he belongs in the NHL and on the Sharks top line when he never gave up on the play in the Canucks zone at the start of the third period, and kept on fighting for the puck, eventually putting it in with a wrester, scoring his second of the night, and Sharks’ fifth goal that made it 5-0 for the home team.

“He’s good around the net,” said Sharks captain Joe Thornton when asked about his thoughts on Hertl’s play so far in the preseason. “He scored around the net in the last game too. He’s very competitive. He just goes to the net and is not afraid of that area.”

As for the Canucks, they looked disorganized, undisciplined, and almost as if they didn’t want to play in that game. They did not look like a team that will be competing for a playoff spot next season.