Preview?- San Jose beats Washington 5-2
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Bill Jempty | Thursday, December 31, 2009 |
Are these the two teams that will face off in the Stanley Cup finals. From AP-
Joe Thornton had an unusual decision to make when he prepared for his penalty shot in the third period. Having watched teammate Ryane Clowe already convert a penalty shot with a backhander, Thornton figured he needed to try a different tact.
“I was thinking of going to the backhand but Clowe kind of perfected that earlier,” Thornton said. “So I thought I’d go with the shot and see what I could do.”
Thornton delivered, making San Jose the first team in more than 27 years to score on two penalty shots in a game. The Sharks went on to beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 Wednesday night.
“It’s kind of strange having two in one game,” Thornton said. “I’m not sure the last time that happened.”
It hadn’t happened since Feb. 11, 1982, when Thomas Gradin and Ivan Hlinka converted for Vancouver in Detroit.
That Clowe and Thornton managed to do it could be somewhat surprising considering their records in shootouts. Thornton has missed both shootout attempts this season, while Clowe has made just one of five.
A single penalty shot doesn’t happen very often. For instance, my favorite team the Florida Panthers, hasn’t had one occur in any of their 40 games this season.
San Jose with Thornton, Deny Heatley, Patrick Marleau plus Evegeni Nabokov in goal, I think is the class of the Western Conference. I’ve always put down Washington because of their mediocre goaltending(Jose Theodore and his 3.05 Goals against average stink but The Capitals other goalies this year have been good to very good.). It is hard to bet against a team with someone like Alexander Ovechkin. I do think there is a 50% chance or more that Washington and San Jose will play for the Stanley Cup next spring.
- Best in the West?- San Jose beats Chicago 3-2
- Running on fumes- Chicago beats Edmonton 4-2
- No way Jose- FL Panthers rout Washington 6-2
- Washington limits Vancouver to just 10 shots on goal
- The Mighty Ducks- Anaheim beats San Jose 4-1, take series
- Ottawa Senators trade Dany Heatley to San Jose
- Ottawa’s Deny Heatley may miss six weeks due to shoulder injury
- Alex Ovechkin ejected for hit on Brian Campbell
- Alex the Great- Washington trounces Toronto 6-1
- Back on track? Washington beats NY Rangers 4-0
- Eight is Enough- Edmonton beats Chicago 8-4
- Lydia Ko wins New South Wales Open
- The Comeback I- Pittsburgh Penguins beat NY Islanders 5-0
- Seattle Mariners Outfielder Greg Halman stabbed to death at age 24
- Hee Young Park wins CME Titleholders Championship
- Oklahoma State Women’s Basketball Coach Kurt Budke dead at 50
- Costly mistake- Blackhawks waive Rostislav Olesz
- Manager Tony La Russa announces retirement
- Puck Drop- Florida Panthers start the 2011-12 NHL season
- 13-time PGA Tour winner Dave Hill dead at 74
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