Sharks 3, Penguins 1
PITTSBURGH – Center Patrick Marleau got his 1,000th career point - and his 1,001st - with assists on goals by defenseman Brent Burns as the San Jose Sharks downed the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 Saturday night.
Right winger Phil Kessel scored for Pittsburgh, which had won two games in a row.
The Sharks, who are 5-0 on a six-game road trip, built a 2-1 lead on Burns' goals before defenseman Paul Martin scored his first goal as a Shark at 8:27 of the third period for a 3-1 edge on a shot from the left point that hit Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy in the armpit and deflected into the net.
San Jose played without coach Peter DeBoer, who missed the game for what the club described as a personal matter.
Marleau, playing in his 1,349th game, became the 83rd NHL player to reach 1,000 points. He won a faceoff to the left of Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to start the play, which culminated in Burns scoring from the lower part of the left circle on a long rebound of a shot by right winger Joel Ward. The goal gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 7:54 of the first period.
Marleau has played his entire career with San Jose. He was drafted second overall in 1997 - a draft that was held in Pittsburgh, in the now-razed Civic Arena.
The Penguins recognized Marleau's accomplishment Saturday, prompting a round of applause for the visiting player.
Pittsburgh tied it 1-1 on Kessel's power-play goal at 8:38 of the second period. Kessel got to a rebound in the crease and had a gaping half-net.
Burns got his second goal and Marleau got his 1,001st point with an assist as San Jose took a 2-1 lead at 13:06 of the second period. Burns' shot from the top of the right circle went between the legs of Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi and past Fleury.
NOTES: Sharks coach Peter DeBoer missed the game due to a personal issue, and assistants Bob Boughner, Steve Spott and Johan Hedberg ran the bench. Hedberg normally works from upstairs. ... Sharks C Logan Couture skated in full gear for the first time since having surgery Oct. 17 to repair a broken leg. ... San Jose scratched RW Ben Smith, C Michael Haley and D Mirco Mueller. ... Pittsburgh showed a video tribute to D Paul Martin, who signed with San Jose last summer after playing for the Penguins the previous five seasons. ... Penguins RW Brian Rust, out since getting an undisclosed injury Oct. 24, is skating and just began working with the puck, which coach Mike Johnston called a significant step. ... For the second game in a row, Pittsburgh scratched RW Daniel Sprong and D David Warsofsky.