Marleau gets 1,000th point, Sharks beat Penguins 3-1
PITTSBURGH — San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau helped his team continue its roll on the same night he joined an elite group of NHL players.
Brent Burns scored twice and Marleau got his 1,000th career point to lift the San Jose Sharks over the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 on Saturday night for their fifth straight win.
''You never know what it's about until it's done and over with,'' Marleau said. ''Just having everybody come up, congratulating me and throwing different numbers out there, it kind of takes shape how big this is.''
Marleau became the 83rd NHL player to reach 1,000 points with an assist on Burns' first goal 7:54 into the game. The 36-year-old Marleau, in his 18th NHL season, is just the 16th to accomplish the feat with one team.
''You think about the players and the history of the game and to be the 83rd player to do that is something special,'' Sharks assistant coach Steve Spott said. Spott filled in for coach Peter DeBoer, who missed the game to deal with an undisclosed personal matter.
Burns has seven goals this season, and the Sharks have won the first five of a season-high six-game trip that ends Sunday night against Columbus. San Jose lost three of four at home before the trip but won its sixth straight on the road for the first time since a nine-game run during the 2009-10 season.
Martin Jones stopped 38 shots and tied for the league lead with his 11th win.
Sharks defenseman Paul Martin scored his first goal of the season and had an assist against his old team. Martin spent five years with Pittsburgh and was one of the Pens' most reliable defensemen last season.
''I just wanted this game to be over as fast as possible and to get a win,'' Martin said. ''To get some points on the board as well feels good.''
Phil Kessel scored his seventh of the season for Pittsburgh and Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves. The Penguins were coming off back-to-back victories after dropping three of four.
''We had some good looks,'' Kessel said. ''They just didn't go in tonight.''
Marleau hit his milestone on the game's first goal. He started the play with a chip from the corner to Joel Ward, who put a shot on Fleury. The rebound kicked out to Burns, and he put it into a partially open net.
Marleau reached the mark in the same city where he was drafted - he went second overall to the Sharks in the 1997 draft held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. Teammate Joe Thornton went first overall to the Bruins that year.
''Being drafted here and getting the 1,000 points here, there's some significance in Pittsburgh,'' Marleau said. ''It's something I'll always remember.''
Kessel tied it in the second period, converting on the power play when Joe Pavelski was issued a double-minor for high sticking. Pittsburgh scored three power-play goals during its first 10 games, but now has eight in the last 10, operating at a 20 percent clip.
Burns put the Sharks ahead for good less than 5 minutes later. Marleau recorded career point No. 1,001 with the second assist.
''It's definitely nice to get (1,000) in a win,'' Marleau said. ''It's a pretty good road trip we have going on here.''
NOTES: Marleau became the third in Sharks' history to record 1,000 career points. The only other player to register their 1,000th career point against Pittsburgh was New Jersey's Joe Nieuwendyk in 2003. ... Sharks F Logan Couture skated in full gear Saturday for the first time since having surgery to repair a fractured fibula on Oct. 17. Couture was expected to miss four-to-six weeks. He scored 27 goals and 62 points in 82 games last season. ... Pittsburgh closes a four-game homestand Wednesday night against St. Louis.
