Quick Bite: Sharks fail to clinch playoff berth against Blues
A tight game went the way of St. Louis thanks to a third-period tally.
Robby Fabri scored the only goal of the night and St. Louis won its only game at SAP Center 1-0. The Sharks outplayed the Blues for stretches, but a strong second half gave St. Louis plenty of chances to convert and eventually Fabri put his team on top.
A strong night from Brian Elliott had as much to do with the Sharks' loss as anything, as San Jose certainly had its opportunities. San Jose had 38 seconds of 5-on-3 power-play time which turned into 6-on-3 with Martin Jones pulled with under two minutes to go. The Sharks' power play couldn't convert, in no small part thanks to the great play of Elliott.
The first two periods of play featured numerous chances for the Sharks, who controlled possession (particularly in the second frame) and were held off by Elliott. A late push by the Blues, including a power play, got St. Louis back into the game as the Sharks held on for dear life at the end of the second period.
Robby Fabri finally broke the deadlock nearly halfway through the third period. The Blues came in on a 2-on-1 and Justin Braun played the pass, giving Fabri the opportunity to lift a perfect shot past Martin Jones on the short side. Braun made the right decision, but a real good shot (that may have deflected off the stick of Dylan DeMelo) put the Blues in front.
Despite the loss, the Sharks played well against a team they very well may see in the playoffs. Despite sagging in the second half of the game, San Jose certainly had its chances to score. The real loss is the opportunity to make up ground against Anaheim and Los Angeles, both of whom lost on Tuesday.
Sharks goals (assists): :(
[Fancy Stats] - [Blues Reaction] - [TOI Log] - [PBP Log] - [Faceoff Report] - [Event Summary]
Fear the Fin's 3 Stars
1) Brian Elliott
2) Robby Fabri
3) Martin Jones