Thanks to Patrick Marleau’ power-play, the team avoided making the long journey back to Vancouver completing their first playoff sweep on Tuesday night.
Marleau scored the power-play goal 13:18 into overtime gave the Sharks a chance to relax because it means not having to get on a plane to Vancouver today. According to Todd McLellan, a lot was invested physically and a lot of energy was used to win. So to have a great win and a chance to rest is a great return on investment and will work in their favor in the future.
With 4:27 left in regulation, Joe Pavelski scored his second power-play goal tying the game. Brent Burns also scored and Joe Thorton had three assists and Antti Niemi made 32 saves for the Sharks. After such an important game they are ready to get some well deserved rest.
On the Canuck side though, Mason Raymond, Alex Burrows and Alexander Edler scored for the Canucks who were still unable to hold onto a late third-period lead for the second time in the series. As they exit the playoffs in the first round for the second year in a row, questions hang over the head of coach Alain Vigneault and the rest of the franchise.
Henrik Sedin was especially disappointed in the results comparing himself and his team to a first-time playoff team going to the box too often. The biggest disappointment is that he knows they only have so many chances as many of the teammates have been together for a long time.
Cory Schneider had 43 saves, but gave up the series clinching goal after Daniel Sedin was sent off for boarding Tommy Wingels on a call that upset Vancouver. Sedin said that he screamed at the ref for making a bad call but later apologized. He knows that the series wasn’t lost because of that one call but much earlier.
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