Ottawa Senators rookie Brian Lee learned a lesson in discipline Thursday night.
Milan Michalek and Patrick Marleau scored power-play goals in the second period on Lee’s double-minor penalty and the NHL-leading San Jose Sharks beat the Senators 2-1. Trailing 1-0 entering the second period, the Sharks used the double-minor to Lee to get back into the game.
Just over a minute after a hooking penalty to Lee expired, the defenceman was penalized again, this time for holding. Lee expressed his displeasure and was given an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Michalek scored with just 13 seconds left in the first penalty after he jammed a loose puck past Auld. Marleau tipped a Jeremy Roenick a one-timer during the second penalty to give the Sharks their first lead of the game.
“No,” and “no,” were the very brief answers Lee gave to media when asked if anything was said to him on the bench after the penalties, or if he expected to play much after that. “We talked about it before the game how good their power play was so we knew we had to be disciplined.
Lee didn’t seem to take that advice, and it cost the Senators.
“You can’t afford to take penalties like that,” Senators coach Cory Clouston said. “You have to earn the referees’ respect before you try to approach him and complain.”
Brian Boucher made the start in goal in place of Evgeni Nabakov and stopped 23 of Ottawa’s 24 shots for the win. It was the fifth victory in the past six games for the Sharks (42-9-9), who were 4-1 losers in Detroit Wednesday night.
“It’s good to bounce back,” Roenick said. “These points are going to be important coming down stretch and this is one of our games in hand against Detroit so we had to get it.”
Roenick was originally credited with the Sharks’ second goal, but it was changed and given to Marleau midway through the third period after reviews showed it was tipped on the way in.
That suited Roenick just fine. He went into the second intermission and told media relations manager Tom Holy that he thought it was Marleau’s goal.
“That’s perfect,” the 39-year old Roenick said. “I was happy because Patty is having a career year and the more he can get, the more accolades, the better. We scored the goal. It was a big goal so it doesn’t matter who got it, but I’ve already have five hundred (512 in his career) and I’d like Patty to get to 40 (he has 34 this season).”
Mike Fisher had the only goal for the Senators (23-28-9) while Alex Auld was strong in goal, making 22 saves.
“I thought we played very well and our five-on-five was very good,” Auld said.
“It was a special teams battle and obviously those four minutes they had on the power play in the second period won them the game.”
The Senators had the only power play of the third period and a handful of good chances late, but they were unable to beat Boucher.
Fisher had the lone goal of the first period as he tipped a point shot from Chris Campoli through Boucher’s legs at 13:46. It was also on the power play.
The Senators finished 1-4 on the power play while the Sharks were 2-4.
Notes: The Sharks have not lost back-to-back games in regulation all season … Sharks forward Joe Thornton leads all NHL skaters in points since 2002-03 with 578 .. Marleau’s second period goal tied his season career high of 34 … The Sharks play the Canadiens in Montreal Saturday night .. Senators forward Cody Bass missed his 27th straight game with a shoulder injury while F Chris Neil missed his ninth straight with a calf laceration .. The Senators’ next game is Saturday night when the host the Toronto Maple Leafs.
