From: nlu@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu)
Subject: Sharks lose to Lightning 5-1
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 04:28:50 GMT

Saturday, January 23, 4:30 P. M. (7:30 P. M. EST) at State Exposition Hall:

Arturs Irbe was excellent in stopping 32 of 35 Tampa Bay shots that he faced,
but Pat Jablonski was simply, well, divine, as he stopped 37 of 38 San Jose
shots for the win, including 18 in the final period to preserve the win.
The loss extends the Sharks winless streak to 13 games, and the Lightning snap
their 7-game losing streak.  Probably over half of the game was played on
special teams, as referee Lance Roberts was not afraid to call penalties
tonight; the Lightning had at least 7 power-plays, and the Sharks about as
many.  (However, the Sharks had only one power-play goal, and the Lightning
had none.)

The teams played tightly early, as nobody scored until 16:29, when the Sharks
took the first bite into the scoreboard, while working on the power-play.
Right after the Sharks skated into the Lightning zone on a rush, Kelly Kisio
stopped the puck at the left boards, and sent it to the right point to Rob
Gaudreau, who unleashed a hard slap shot, and Jeff Odgers deflected it right
in front past Jablonski for a 1-0 lead, which would prove to be the only and
last lead the Sharks would have, as the Lightning tied the game just 16
seconds later.  Right off the face-off at center, both teams skated around in
the neutral zone, and then Chris Kontos picked up the puck and dropped it off
to Mikael Andersson, who then skated into the San Jose zone on the right side.
He was checked into the corners, but the puck took a strange bounce, and went
to the slot, where Adam Creighton re-directed it past Irbe.  Marc Bureau
scored the go-ahead goal at 19:11, as Brian Bradley got a pass from Rob Zamuner
at center ice, skated into the zone on a 3-on-3, faked a shot from the left
circle, and instead sent the pass to the left boards to Bureau, who let go a
shot at a severe angle that surprised Irbe and bounced into the net off a
post.  (You can tell the TV angles are excellent tonight when you see me
write so much... :-))  The Lightning finished the period out-shooting the
Sharks 11-8.

The second period was fairly even and went scoreless, but that doesn't mean
that the period, in which the Lightning out-shot the Sharks 13-12, was not
exciting.  Both Jablonski and Irbe were just outstanding, as Irbe made several
close in stops on Bradley and Rob DiMaio, while Jablonski robbed Kisio at
least twice and stopped a few other screen shots.

Bureau would give the Lightning some insurance at 5:33 of the 3rd period.  He
came into the zone on a 3-on-3 with Bradley and Marc Bergevin, and as he skated
down the right side, he got a pass from Bradley, and drilled it from 50 feet
out past Irbe.  The Sharks then went on a rampage for the rest of the period,
out-shooting the Lightning 18-13 for the period, peppering Jablosnki left and
right, but couldn't get anything by him, as Jablonski made a number of
excellent stops, including next-to-crease shots by Ray Whitney and Mike
Sullivan, as well as strong shots by Gaudreau and Johan Garpenlov.  The Sharks
pulled Irbe with almost two minutes left, but after some chances, still
couldn't get the puck by Jablonski, and the Lightning sealed the game at 18:56
on an empty-net goal by Bob Beers, with Steve Kasper and Bureau assisting on
the goal.  Undaunted, the Sharks pulled Irbe again, and got struck by another
empty-netter, an unassisted goal by Kasper.

Tonight's three stars:

1.	Marc Bureau
2.	Pat Jablonski
3.	Brian Bradley

(Not the way that I'd have had it: I'd have Jablonski #1, Irbe #2, and
Bureau #3, with perhaps Irbe and Bureau interchangable.)

Tonight's lines:

Johan Garpenlov		Kelly Kisio		Rob Gaudreau
Jaroslav Otevrel	Mike Sullivan		Hubie McDonough
Ray Whitney		David Maley		Robin Bawa
Michel Picard		Dean Evason		Jeff Odgers

Tonight's defensive pairings:

		Doug Wilson		Doug Zmolek
		Jayson More		Neil Wilkinson
		Tom Pederson		Rob Zettler

Scratches:	Brian Hayward (back), Sandis Ozolinsh (knee),
	Pat MacLeod (shoulder), David Bruce (groin), Pat Falloon (shoulder),
	Mark Pederson (shoulder), Lyndon Byers (shoulder), David Williams.
	Byers is not hurt as badly as originally thought, and he's now said
	to be out for 10 days.

Notes:

1.	The Sharks put in great effort, but just couldn't beat Jablonski.
	Early on, Jablonski was lucky on several lucky bounces (off posts,
	etc.), but later on, with perhaps his confidence raised, he was
	simply outstanding.

2.	Gaudreau's best chances came on the power-play on the point; I'd have
	to continue to wonder: is it better to have Gaudreau as a defensive
	forward or as an offensive defenseman?

3.	Whitney and Michel Picard returned, after sitting out the past three
	games as healthy scratches, as Byers got hurt and Yvon Corriveau was
	sent to the Hartford Whalers to complete the earlier deal for Picard.

4.	David Maley was high-sticked in the eye late in the third period, and
	despite him bleeding, only a double-minor was called.  Maley did not
	return.  (Just what we need...  Another injury... :-()  Mark Beaufait,
	if a call-up from Kansas City is necessary, is likely the replacement.

===============================================================================
GO CALGARY FLAMES!  Mike Vernon for Vezina!  Gary Roberts for Hart and Selke!
GO EDMONTON OILERS!  Go for playoffs!  Dave Manson for Norris!
===============================================================================
Nelson Lu (claudius@leland.stanford.edu)
rec.sport.hockey contact for the San Jose Sharks
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey