The More Desperate Team (The Sharks) Wins

It is lazy journalism and reporting to say that the Boston Bruins were simply tired from their cross-country flight to the West Coast.

No, they didn't lose to the San Jose Sharks 2-1 tonight at the HP Pavilion because of the time change and a long plane ride. They lost simply because the Sharks (37-27-10) played like the more desperate team while the Bruins (42-28-3) lacked that same type of energy. The Sharks also swept the season series 2-0.

San Jose needs every point they can get just to make the ultra-competitive Western Conference playoffs. Joe Pavelski (27th of the season) scored 3:57 into the game thanks to a bad defensive zone turnover by Milan Lucic. Former Bruin Joe Thornton intercepted it and fed it to Patrick Marleau who was robbed by Tim Thomas (25 saves; 31-19-0). Pavelski was on the doorstep for the rebound.

This game flew by, with only two penalties combined between the two teams. Former UNH star Daniel Winnik (6th of the season) scored his first goal as a Shark at 2:17 of the third period, the game-winner. Andrew Desjardins (No. 69 in your program, haha really) had the assist as Winnik went top shelf with a snap shot.

The B's made it interesting when Zdeno Chara (11th of the season) banked one in off Antti Niemi's (16 saves) pads with 3:15 left in regulation. Chris Kelly and Brian Rolston assisted on Big Z's goal, the captain was appearing in his 999th career NHL game.

Truthfully, Boston had no business coming that close. They were outshot 27-17 (17 was a season-low for them and season-low allowed by San Jose) and the Sharks had 12 more takeaways (16-4). I don't buy into the tired legs theory since the Bruins outhit the Sharks 40-13. A fatigued team wouldn't have a discrepancy like that. Plus, they hadn't played since Monday night and that was an 8-0 scrimmage vs. Toronto.

The Bruins' journey through California stops in Los Angeles where they'll play the equally desperate Kings, who are also on the cusp of the Western Conference playoffs. Boston beat LA 3-0 on December 13 at the TD Garden.

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