3rd rock from the loss
SHARKS COLLAPSE IN THIRD PERIOD, LOSE IN SHOOTOUT
Reza Kazempour
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The Dallas Stars scored two unanswered goals to force overtime and a 3-2 shootout victory against the San Jose Sharks last Tuesday night.
The tying goal, courtesy of Philippe Boucher, came in with :02 seconds remaining in the game and allowed the Stars to walk away with two points.
After a National Hockey League record 49 games without going into overtime, the Sharks were forced to get into a shootout situation against a team that has haunted them in the past year. The Sharks' last shootout was against the Stars on March 16, 2006.
"I don't even remember the last shootout," said Sharks head coach Ron Wilson. "It's all irrelevant."
The shootout, however, wasn't Wilson's biggest problem. His team got a little too comfortable with a two-goal lead into the third period.
"Our bigger guys have to step up," said Wilson. "You shouldn't be looking to Marc [Edouard] Vlasic to be the leader on the team or [Joe] Pavelski or Ryan Clowe."
In the third period, the Stars outshot the Sharks 14-4 with goals coming from Mike Ribeiro and Boucher.
The trouble started before the third period, though.
The league-leading power play unit failed to convert on seven opportunities, one of them a two-man advantage.
"Our power play hasn't been good the past couple of games," said Pavelski.
Pavelski knocked in his 11th of the season on a wraparound attempt on Stars' goaltender Marty Turco early in the first period.
"The people going out on the power play are way too casual and they think it's going to automatically click," said Wilson. "It becomes a carryover to the rest of your game."
The Sharks will have another shot to redeem themselves when they host the Stars again on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
2008 Woodie Awards

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