[Drew]

Source: SJSharks.com

The Sharks played the first few minutes with the intensity of the opening night crowd, creating an opportunity out front and garnering a power play on a penalty by former Shark Marcus Ragnarsson. San Jose did not score despite three shots on net.

Midway through the period, San Jose had outshot their guests 5-2 with neither Evgeni Nabokov nor Jeff Hackett allowing a goal. The crowd roared their excitement when Rob Davison Todd Fedoruk fought to a draw at the period's midway point and immediately following the scrap, Jonathan Cheechoo nearly carried the puck through two defenseman for the scoring chance.

With 6:47 left in the first, a Justin Williams slashing penalty put San Jose on a second man-advantage. A beautiful setup by Wayne Primeau gave Patrick Marleau the puck just outside the crease, but Hackett had too much of the anlge covered.

Williams provided the Flyers best chance on offense when he skirted behind the defense and wristed one from up close later in the period, but Nabokov easily shut down the opportunity.

At the end of an unsuccessful three-on-two rush, Wayne Primeau was pushed into Hackett and given two minutes for running into the goaltender. With four seconds left in the first period, Eric Desjardins high-sticked Nils Eckman to erase the power play and begin the second with 1:18 of four-on-four play.

Following a brief Sharks power play to begin the second 20 minutes, Mike Ricci dished a perfect no-look pass behind him to Scott Thornton in the slot, but just before Thornton could release the puck, Williams was able to reach Thornton's stick and negate any chance at a goal.

With 12 minutes left in the second, the Flyers found themselves with a minute and a half of five-on-three time, but it was the Sharks crowd that had the most to cheer about. After killing off the entire disadvantage, San Jose's fans roared their approval for a several minutes into the next stop in play.

Both teams played a tight checking affair throughout the second with no true offensive chances occurring. A brutal boarding penalty by Fedoruk put the Sharks on the advantage and then a second whistle to Desjardins gave San Jose their own five-on-three power play.

San Jose threw everything but the kitchen sink at Hackett with an Eckman shot being covered in the crease just as the second period horn sounded. After two periods, San Jose had outshot Philadelphia 18-13, but the score was knotted at zero.

Mike Ricci almost cracked Hackett at the 13:22 mark. A forechecking Korolyuk center a pass to the slot, but Ricci's wrister dinged off the post. Three minutes later Mark Smith had a similar opportunity only to see Hackett make the save.

San Jose would not let the standout goaltending by Hackett, which was being equaled by Nabokov, get to them. The Sharks continued to take the action to Philadelphia, but even a loose puck batted out of mid-air by Wayne Primeau could not open the scoring.

With 5:32 left in the game, Marco Sturm was given a double minor for highsticking, providing the Flyers with an extended man- advantage. San Jose survived the first two minutes as the Flyers rang one off the post and Patrick Marleau crushed Mark Recchi to clear the puck later in the first penalty. Philadelphia used their timeout in attempt to rest their top power play with 53 seconds left on the advantage.

When the four minutes were complete, Sturm returned to the ice with Patrick Marleau and Wayne Primeau and nearly scored the game-winner with just more than a minute left. During the scramble, the puck hit the post and fell just in front of the line, leaving the game without a tally.

In overtime, the Sharks had what appeared to be the game-wining goal, when the puck was trapped under Jeff Hackett's skate and brought behind the goal line, but video replays were unable to lend hard proof that the puck actually crossed the line, and the goal was disallowed.
Time quickly ran out shortly after the disallowed goal and both teams headed to their dressing rooms with a point and the game ended in a scoreless tie.

[Drew]

WOW did Hackett stand on his head in ths one.

The game's #1 star IMO.

[Jlg-28]

if it wasnt for Hackett they proubably would have lost , power play had its chances just couldn't put one home , o well least they didn't blow a lead this time