Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Jonathan Cheechoo tallied his third hat trick
of the season to lift the San Jose Sharks over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim,
6-4, at Arrowhead Pond.
Mark Smith and Tom Preissing also scored a goal apiece and Evgeni Nabokov made
35 saves for the Sharks, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Nils Ekman
added an empty-net goal and an assist for San Jose.
Andy McDonald tallied a goal and an assist and Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 29 shots
for Anaheim, which had its three-game winning streak halted. Teemu Selanne,
Chris Kunitz and Dustin Penner also scored for the Ducks.
Tied 3-3 in the third period, San Jose took the lead with 7:04 left while on
the power play, as Preissing beat Bryzgalov stick-side with a one-timer from
the top of the left circle
The Sharks pushed their lead to two goals with 3:18 left in regulation after
Cheechoo's slap shot from along the right half wall beat Bryzgalov glove-side
for a 5-3 advantage.
The Ducks pulled Bryzgalov with 2:51 left and with an extra attacker on the
ice, Anaheim pulled back within one after Penner banged home a rebound to make
it 5-4.
But Ekman added an empty-net goal as time expired to provide the final margin
of victory.
Anaheim drew first blood midway through the first period while on the power
play after Selanne beat Nabokov top-shelf with a slap shot from the right
circle.
San Jose tied the game with 3:59 left in the opening frame when Cheechoo's
one-timer from below the left circle snuck past Bryzgalov's right pad to make
it 1-1.
Anaheim regained the lead just 31 seconds into the second stanza while on the
man advantage. McDonald poked a rebound past Nabokov from on the doorstep for
a 2-1 lead.
Just over two minutes later, the Ducks re-tied the contest while on the power
play after Cheechoo beat Bryzgalov stick-side high with a one-timer from the
left circle.
The Sharks took their first lead of the game with 2:31 gone in the final
frame. While on the man advantage, Smith's one-timer from the high slot
caromed off a defender in front and past Bryzgalov for a 3-2 lead.
Anaheim netted the equalizer just 21 seconds later when Kunitz beat Nabokov
stick-side with a one-timer from the top of the left circle to make it 3-3.
