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Saturday, Oct. 28 10:30pm ET
Tired Thrashers rally to tie Sharks | |||||
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- The Atlanta Thrashers were 2,500 miles away from home and playing their third game in four nights. They were down a goal with three minutes to play -- and they still managed to get a point. For a second-year expansion team, that's the kind of progress that makes a coach smile. Andrew Brunette scored a rebound goal with 2:07 left in regulation as the Thrashers extended their unbeaten streak to four games in a 2-2 tie with the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. "That's our best road trip we've ever had," said Atlanta coach Curt Fraser, who watched the Thrashers record a win and three ties on a four-game trip. "The most impressive thing is we were behind, and we still found a way to come back at the end. "I'm proud of my guys. They're doing a good job. They're playing together as a team. They're playing smart." The Thrashers overcame tired legs to steal a point from the rested Sharks, who had their four-game winning streak snapped with a desultory effort in their first home game in two weeks. "I'm not sure we had the jump we'd like to have," said Scott Thornton, who scored San Jose's first goal. "We wanted to empty the tanks tonight, but it didn't happen. It's disappointing." On the tying goal, Chris Tamer's shot from the point rebounded off a group of players in the crease. Brunette, left alone on the opposite side, put the puck into a wide-open net behind Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov. San Jose remained unbeaten in its last five games but missed a chance to beat all four of the NHL's youngest expansion teams during a nine-day span. The Sharks defeated Columbus, Minnesota and Nashville during their recently completed five-game road trip. "It's not a disappointing tie," said Sharks coach Darryl Sutter, who shuffled his lines in an effort to kick-start his offense. "We played hard, battled in the corners. ... We just couldn't finish." Sharks center Vincent Damphousse had a breakaway chance in overtime, but he missed the net. Brad Stuart had an open look with 47 seconds to play, but Atlanta goalie Milan Hnilicka made the save. Patrick Marleau put the Sharks up 2-1 with a goal during a two-man advantage with 10:36 to play. Damphousse feathered a pass through a crowded crease, and Marleau tapped his fifth goal of the season past Hnilicka, who put the Thrashers on a 5-on-3 moments earlier by accidentally shooting a bouncing puck over the boards for a delay-of-game penalty. Atlanta (1-3-5-0) moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Southeast Division, which has five sub-.500 teams. Hnilicka looked good while stopping 30 shots in his first start for the Thrashers, who gave Damian Rhodes his first night off this season. "I knew the guys were tired, and I wanted to step up for them," Hnilicka said. "They've been working real hard, and I was having fun." Despite getting out of position on Brunette's goal, Nabokov continued to impress while replacing injured Steve Shields. He stopped 28 shots and improved to 5-1-1 on the year. Atlanta's Hnat Domenichelli opened the scoring with a breakaway power-play goal midway through the second period. San Jose equalized four minutes later when Mike Ricci swiped an Atlanta clearing pass and threw it to Thornton for a goal. Game notesSharks captain Owen Nolan and defenseman Scott Hannan were scratches. San Jose is giving Nolan a chance to improve his conditioning and strengthen his surgically repaired abdominal muscle, while Hannan is nursing a sore ankle. ... The Sharks are 1-8-4 in recent seasons in the first game after returning home from a road trip of four or more games. ... Hnilicka, signed from the Rangers as a free agent during the offseason, appeared in relief of Rhodes earlier this year in his only previous game action. Hnilicka's mask was still painted with the logo and colors of the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, for whom he went 22-11 with a 2.15 GAA last year. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard Atlanta Clubhouse San Jose Clubhouse RECAPS Toronto 2 Boston 1
Atlanta 2
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