Despite the Pacific Division getting tighter and tighter and the first place Kings suddenly within reach, the Sharks aren’t solely focused on the standings just yet. Starting a difficult five-game road trip in Tampa Bay, the aim was to get the ball rolling in the right direction against a club that could once again challenge for a Stanley Cup.
The Sharks have already experienced what gaining early positive vibes can do. A win in Detroit on Nov. 13 went a long way towards them sweeping that six-game trip, and another in Montreal on Dec. 15 help spring the Sharks to a 3-1-1 mark on a five-gamer.
Against the Lightning, goals from Joel Ward, Joe Pavelski, Matt Nieto and Melker Karlsson were enough for a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday night. It was their 19th road win (19-8-2), tied for the most in the Western Conference.
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SIGN UP HERE “It’s a good start to the road trip, for sure,” Nieto told CSN California after the game. "We found a way to win like we have all year on the road, and it’s nice to get the first one on this trip.”
“You keep looking up [at the standings] and you want to keep climbing. But, that wasn’t that much of a focus as far as that,” Joe Pavelski told reporters. “The thought was let’s start the road trip off right, get everyone going, and we did a good job tonight.”
The Sharks (30-20-5, 65 points) drew to within four points of the Kings with one game in hand, while surging Anaheim remains one point ahead in second place.
Perhaps the most positive development of the night for San Jose, other than the win, is that the goals all came from players that entered with goal droughts to a varying degree. Ward scored for the first time in seven games; Nieto’s goal was his second in the last 11 games; Karlsson got his second in the last 16; and even Pavelski had gone six straight without finding the back of the net.
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Nieto’s was the game-winner, and it was a total team effort. Ward won a battle on the wall in the defensive zone and chipped it up to Patrick Marleau, springing him on a two-on-one with Nieto. Marleau finessed it to his left to Nieto who deked Ben Bishop before slipping it behind the massive netminder, giving the Sharks a 3-2 advantage early in the third.
“Series of little plays that led up to that goal,” Nieto said. “Wardo made a nice play on the wall and Patty made a nifty pas over to me. It was bouncing a little bit, but I was able to settle it down and beat the goalie.”
They put the game away on Karlsson’s laser from the slot on a vintage Joe Thornton backhanded pass from behind the net late in the final frame. All four of the Sharks’ goals came at even-strength, with three lines getting on the scoresheet.
“Four lines have definitely played a role, and you need that every night,” Pavelski said.
Nieto said: “It’s always nice when everyone is contributing. That’s what we need coming down the stretch here is everyone chipping in and doing their part. That’s what’s been going on. It’s really nice to see everyone contribute.”
The trip won’t get any easier as the Sharks have back-to-back games against first place Florida and a Carolina club that has been better in the second half of the year. They should be a bit calmer going into those buildings, though, with a win already under their belts.
“There’s a real good confidence level,” coach Pete DeBoer told reporters. “We feel like we can win every game that we’re playing. … This game is so much mental, and our mental situation right now is really good.”