Sharks’ Burns Deserves Praise at Both Ends

PITTSBURGH – Brent Burns’ first thought was, “Oh rats!”

Except the second word wasn’t rats. Those are what the San Jose Sharks defenseman feeds his pet snakes. But you get the idea.

A shot by teammate Dainius Zubrus hit Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy in front of the net and ricocheted out toward center ice. Speedy Penguins forward Carl Hagelin got the jump on Burns and reached the puck first.

“It was a weird bounce,” Burns said Tuesday of the play late in the first period of the Sharks’ 3-2 loss in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday. “Actually, I didn’t even see it. I just saw him start skating and I said, ‘Oh God. I don’t know why he’s doing that.’ Then, I saw it behind us.”

Hagelin is one of the fastest players in the NHL and, with a two-step lead on Burns, it appeared he’d have a sure breakaway. But, Burns didn’t give up.

“It’s one of those things that you kind of just turn the legs on, I guess, and start skating,” he said.

Burns somehow got close enough to Hagelin to reach from behind with his stick and lift Hagelin’s stick as he was preparing to shoot. Burns then swiped the puck away, picking Hagelin’s pocket.

“Not many can catch [Hagelin],” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “He might have got Hagelin at the end of a shift, because I’m not even sure flat out if he could [catch him]. It shows you what an athlete Burnsy is and the speed he’s got.”

Burns’ hustle prevented a high-quality scoring chance for Hagelin in a game in which the Sharks were already trailing 2-0. They would push back and tie the game in the second period before Nick Bonino’s goal with 2:33 remaining in the third gave the Penguins the Game 1 win.

The Sharks will look to rebound in Game 2 on …

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