VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It only took Joe Pavelski half-a-period to do what he does best: score goals.
The Sharks captain netted his 38th of the season just 10:47 into his first game since March 16, burying a blocked shot that bounced out to him on the doorstep. Despite a seven-game absence to recover from a lower-body injury, Pavelski led all Sharks forwards in shots (6) and attempts (9) while logging 16:45 of ice time.
Unfortunately for the Sharks, Pavelski’s return wasn’t enough to stop the team from falling to 1-8-1 in its last 10 games.
“It always feels good (to score),” Pavelski said.