Bruins Lose To Sharks, 3-2, Drop To Second In Atlantic
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Brent Burns enjoyed a historic night in leading the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday at SAP Center.
Burns tied the franchise record for most goals and points by a defenseman as San Jose won for the seventh time in nine games, moved within one point of the idle second-place Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division and helped to knock the Bruins out of first place in the Atlantic.
"He has to be up for the Norris (Trophy), the guy has been unbelievable," Sharks forward Joe Thornton said of Burns potentially being honored as the NHL's top defenseman. "When he's out there, you feel like something can happen every shift."
Burns' 64th point of the season came on a splendid pass that led to Joonas Donskoi's tiebreaking, power-play goal at 6:37 of the third period. Burns threaded a cross-ice feed to Joel Ward, whose blast from the left dot was redirected by Donskoi past Boston goalie Tuukka Rask.
Donskoi's 11th goal of the season came as the Sharks' second power-play unit was on the ice after the top unit -- minus Burns -- struggled on the man advantage against the Bruins.
"I don't think our power play was at the level we want it to be tonight," Donskoi said. "I went to the net, tried to keep my stick on the ice. It was a big goal."
Sharks goalie James Reimer celebrated his 28th birthday by winning for the second time -- and first at home -- during his third start in goal since he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. Reimer made 21 saves in all. He got help when Boston's David Krejci struck the near post on an attempt to tie the game with just over four minutes left.
"It was frustrating," Boston forward Loui Eriksson said. "We had some really good scoring chances to tie the game back up."
Bruins coach Claude Julien added, "It was a competitive game. We have a bitter feeling right now because we don't like to lose. We had a couple of breakdowns here and there. ...
"We want some points out of this road trip. We have to clean up a couple of things and we'll be OK."
The Sharks scored the only goal of the second period to tie it 2-2 through 40 minutes.
Burns matched the franchise single-season record of 26 goals by a defenseman when he found the back of the net at 11:46. He did, however, have some help. Burns was attempting to pass across the goalmouth to Thornton, but the puck deflected perfectly off the stick of Bruins forward Ryan Spooner and just inside the far post.
Burns' on-going career-high goal total tied the mark set by Sandis Ozolinsh in 1993-94. With two points Tuesday, Burns matched Ozolinsh's club-defenseman-record 64 from that same season.
"He's been great," Sharks forward Logan Couture said of Burns. "He's carried offensively for long stretches this season. He's really been good for us."
The Sharks opened the scoring at 8:44 of the first period when Melker Karlsson capped a strong San Jose cycle by scoring his ninth goal of the season in close. Karlsson started the sequence with the first of three consecutive backhanded passes along the boards. Couture and Donskoi followed with backhanders, the final one from behind the goal line to set up Karlsson.
The Bruins, who dropped to second in the Atlantic Division with the loss coupled with the Florida Panthers' win Tuesday, rallied to score twice after surrendering the first goal of the game to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Boston tied it when Krejci snapped an 11-game goalless string that stretched back to Feb. 20. Krejci followed a long rebound left by Reimer and potted his 15th goal at 11:26.
The visitors scored short-handed at 17:46 when Eriksson broke in alone on Reimer to collect his 27th goal. Burns was guilty of a neutral-zone turnover to Krejci, who chipped the puck forward to a breaking Eriksson.
"The play looked a little sloppy early on, it took momentum away from us," Thornton said. "But a good second and third (period). I think that we finished strong is what really mattered."
NOTES: San Jose G James Reimer had a 2.27 goals-against average and .935 save percentage during three appearances earlier this season vs. Boston as a Toronto Maple Leaf. ... San Jose is 8-4-1 against Boston since the Joe Thornton trade in 2005. In 13 games against the team that drafted him first overall in 1997, Thornton has 11 points on four goals and seven assists. ... The Sharks next play at Arizona on Thursday, while the Bruins continue a four-game road trip with stop No. 2 in Anaheim on Friday. ... San Jose's healthy scratches included RW Tommy Wingels, D Matt Tennyson and D Dylan DeMelo, who was recalled from AHL affiliate San Jose on Tuesday. ... RW Tyler Randell, C Frank Vatrano, D Zach Trotman and D Joe Morrow did not dress for Boston.