Khudobin Leads Bruins To 3-1 Win Over Sharks
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Anton Khudobin enjoyed getting pestered with shots early. He didn't have time to let his mind wander.
Khudobin stopped 36 shots to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.
"I like it busy," Khudobin said. "I don't have to think about anything else. The third period start was unbelievable. ... I don't think I faced a shot until halfway through the period."
Peter Cehlarik, Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen scored to help the Bruins get their second straight win after a four-game skid (0-3-1). Boston had totaled nine goals in its previous five games, scoring more than two for just the second time in nine November games.
"It went our way," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "They were clearly better than us but we come out 2-1. If you stick with it, good things happen."
Khudobin remained unbeaten in regulation (5-0-2) and improved to 4-1 with a 0.99 goals-against average in five games against the Sharks.
Timo Meier scored and Aaron Dell finished with 18 saves for the Sharks, one of the lowest scoring teams in the league. San Jose has been held to two of fewer goals in five of their seven games this month.
"Guys in this room can score; we just have to do it," Sharks Logan Couture said. "I thought we had good chances and a lot of them at the end. We've got to create offense. If you don't score goals, you're not going to win."
Meier gave the Sharks, losers of two straight following wins in six of seven, a short-lived 1-0 lead after tapping in a rebound 4:50 into the game. Daniel O'Regan, making his season debut, won the puck behind the net and skated around to take the shot that bounced to Meier. It was O'Regan's first career assist and second career point.
"I just kind of fished it out and wanted to bring it to the net," O'Regan said. "Timo made a nice finish."
Cehlarik, in his 14th game, scored his first career goal about 1 1/2 minutes later to tie it for the Bruins.
Boston took the lead on DeBrusk's goal with 9:14 left in the first. Charlie McAvoy cleared a puck in his zone that DeBrusk, one of three rookies who scored, chased down and easily beat Dell 1-on-1.
"It's massive," DeBrusk said. "We all want it so bad and we all work so hard. These are big games for us."
Heinen made it 3-1 with 5:51 left in the third. Kevan Miller skated down the ice, drawing all the attention on the right side. He passed across the crease, from where Heinen tapped it in.
"He made a heck of a play," Heinen said. "I just put my stick on the ice."
The Sharks had a goal negated for the second straight game, this one two minutes in.
"We got enough looks tonight to score," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We're doing more good than bad we're just not being rewarded."
NOTES: O'Regan was recalled before the game. He's the leading scorer for the Barracuda of the AHL. ... The Sharks have had three consecutive goals reversed after challenges dating to Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers. ... Sharks F Joel Ward has recorded points in six of his last eight games. ... DeBrusk, who assisted on Cehlarik's goal, recorded his first multi-point game since Oct. 14, a span of 14 games.
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