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Nabokov, Thornton help Sharks down Blue Jackets

Feb 9, 2008 - 7:34 AM SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Evgeni Nabokov showed why he almost always is in the crease for the San Jose Sharks.

Nabokov made 31 saves and Joe Thornton scored the game-winner in overtime as the Sharks skated to a 2-1 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

The 32-year-old Nabokov, who has started 53 of San Jose's 54 games this season, secured his fourth 30-win campaign of his career with Friday's triumph.

"The only reason we got two points is because of Nabby," San Jose coach Ron Wilson said. "He was unbelievable tonight. We got thoroughly outplayed, but we found a way to get that extra point."

Thornton snapped his seven-game goalless drought on a power play at 1:49 of the extra session. He received a pass from defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh and unleashed a wrist shot that beat goaltender Fredrik Norrena.

"I tried to go far side and hope for a tip," Thornton said. "That's how it usually works. Either it hits the net and Patty (Marleau) gets a rebound or he gets a tip in, or it goes in. One of those where you just throw it on the net into a little scrum."

Despite dominating play over the first two periods, Columbus entered the third facing a 1-0 deficit.

"Shots were 26-5 in the first two periods," Columbus' Jason Chimera said. "That's pretty much killing them. Nabby stood on his head for the first two periods. It's a shame we only got a point out of it. Their big players stepped up when they needed to."

The Blue Jackets, however, tied the game when Chimera extended his goal-scoring streak to three games at 7:13 of the third. Michael Peca made a centering pass across the crease to Chimera, who flicked the puck past Nabokov's stick.

Nabokov was the main reason the Sharks took the edge into the third. The All-Star stopped 10 shots in the first period, 16 in the second, four in the third and one in overtime.

Nabokov thwarted Chimera's shorthanded breakaway chance midway through the second with a brilliant pad save, and he poke-checked the puck away from All-Star Rick Nash on a penalty-shot attempt with 6:57 left in the period to help preserve the one-goal lead.

Nabokov has now stopped all four penalty shots he has faced this season and nine of 12 in his career.

"Chimera was coming with so much speed," Nabokov said. "I got the sense he wasn't going to shoot. I guessed that he would deke and go far side, and I guess I guessed right.

"With Nash, I just tried to keep the gap between us. He's very skilled. I tried to contain him, to make sure he didn't have too much room to shoot at."

Marcel Goc was the beneficiary of the Sharks' decision to juggle three lines and scratch Steve Bernier, who drew the ire of coach Ron Wilson due to his recent slow starts.

It took just 2:34 to make Wilson's move pay off, as Goc's turnaround wrist shot from the slot beat Norrena to the glove side. It was the German's third goal of the season.

"Jeremy (Roenick) was battling for the puck," Goc said. "He won it and poked it to me, and I just turned around and shot it."

Norrena turned aside 20 shots for the Blue Jackets, who have lost five of their last six games. Columbus is now 1-11-2 all-time at HP Pavilion.

"We've had games similar to this quite often this year, where we've outplayed the opposition and not scored," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We have to find a way to get the lead, especially when we're playing as well as we are right now."