The Sharks did the impossible Saturday. They scored two power-play goals on one minor penalty.
Given this opportunity thanks to an egregious clerical error in their favor, the Sharks capitalized and beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 at HP Pavilion.
This wacky sequence shared top billing with two other historic developments: a Gordie Howe Hat Trick for defenseman Christian Ehrhoff and a conventional hat trick for left wing Ryane Clowe.
The officials' mistake allowed Patrick Marleau and Clowe to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead on power-play goals while Columbus defenseman Rostislav Klesla was serving a two-minute penalty.
The league later acknowledged the game officials made the wrong call. Here was the bizarre sequence:
At 2:39 of the first period, Clowe (roughing) and Columbus center Manny Malhotra (slashing) went to the box with matching minors. This created a four-on-four situation.
At 3:12, Klesla was whistled for high-sticking Marleau. This gave the Sharks a 4-on-3 power play.
At 4:22, Marleau converted on the power play to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead.
Then instead of releasing Klesla from the box to resume four-on-four hockey, the officials goofed and let Malhotra out.
``They told me it was a new rule,'' Columbus Coach Ken Hitchcock said.
Because there was a 33-second differential between the initial infractions and Klesla's penalty, the Sharks returned to the power play when Clowe left the box.
Clowe then scored with the man advantage by banging in a rebound of Marleau's shot to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead.
``It's a joke, that's what it is,'' Blue Jackets General Manager Doug MacLean said during the first intermission. ``You can't score two power-play goals on one penalty.''
