Sharks Lose Fifth Straight in Blowout to Columbus
February 11, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) takes a shot on goal as he is slashed by Columbus Blue Jackets center Derick Brassard (16) at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
In a rough start to their six-game road trip, the San Jose Sharks (7-3-2) lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets (4-7-2) by the final of 6-2. San Jose has now lost five games in a row while Columbus ends their three-game losing streak.
The Sharks made another change in their lineup by inserting Matt Pelech and removing T.J. Galiardi who so far this season has only gotten two assists. Pelech made his presence known early in the game when he got into a fight with Jarred Boll just two and a half minutes into the game.
The Blue Jackets tallied their highest goal total of the season with six goals, all of which came from different players. Patrick Marleau got ‘off the schneid’ by scoring his first point in the last five games. Joe Pavelski scored San Jose’s other goal of the game with the assists going to Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle. Thornton also ended his five-game pointless streak.
Unfortunately for the San Jose Sharks their penalty kill, which has been one of the only strong-suits throughout this losing streak, failed them giving up two goal on four chances for the Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets beat the Sharks in all facets of the game tonight including in the face off circle, the special teams battle (power play and penalty kill) and won the turnover battle where San Jose has struggled all season. They deserved to win and this loss just shows once again that the Sharks are a team that has a lot of holes.
During the first period the Blue Jackets got off to the best start they could have hoped for when Brandon Dubinsky scored his first goal of the season just 43 seconds into the game. Two fights broke out during the period as well and the Sharks took a few penalties, but they were able to kill them off. Their power play went 0-2 in the first period as well.
The second period featured three goals within a span of 84 seconds. The first goal was on the power play and scored by defenseman James Wisniewski and the second Blue Jacket goal, scored a little over a minute later, was by Cody Goloubef scoring his first of the season as well. Immediately after that San Jose got their first of the game on a goal by Patrick Marleau.
The third period was also dominated by Columbus who racked up three more goals compared to San Jose’s one. Nikita Nikitin scored just 21 seconds into the period and was a major blow to a Sharks team who was trying to mount a comeback.
The other two Columbus goals were scored by Vinny Prospal and Mark Letestu with Prospal’s coming on the power play. Pavelski scored the Shark’s lone goal of the period which was too little, too late for San Jose in the losing effort.
3 Stars of the Game
1. Brandon Dubinsky (1 goal, 1 assist, +2)
2. Nick Foligno (2 assists, +3)
3. Matt Calvert (2 assists, +2)