Patrick Marleau’s return to the San Jose Sharks went about as well as could be expected.
The veteran winger scored twice on six shots and added five hits in 15:30 of ice-time in a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks just two days after signing a one-year contract with the franchise with which he had previously spent 19 years.
Marleau, who was named first star of the game, played the past two seasons in Toronto but was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Hurricanes in July before Carolina bought out of the final year of his contract.
The 40-year-old hadn’t registered a goal since March 25 and hadn’t had a two-goal outing since the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Getting a 500-goal scorer five games into the year was huge for us,” Joe Thornton said of his longtime friend. “It was the boost we needed tonight.”
Marleau said it was easy skating on a line with Logan Couture and Timo Meier.
“It felt like he hadn’t left, like (it was) three years ago when he and I were together for a couple of years,” Couture said after the game. “I knew where he was on the ice, I think he felt he knew where I was. Just felt comfortable with him out there. I thought he looked great.”
“Just to be able to contribute like that, you feel good,” Marleau told reporters at United Center. “But I would’ve taken the two points over anything. It was just so exciting to be back and playing and being with this bunch of guys.”
Add Brent Burns to the lengthy list of those impressed by Marleau.
“He’s always there,” Burns said. “He’s going to the hard areas. He’s winning battles. He just flies on the ice still. It’s crazy to see.”
Marleau’s debut also meant he extended his consecutive games streak to 789, which dates back to the 2008-09 season and currently ranks second among active ironman streaks behind Keith Yandle.
As Sharks reporter Kevin Kurz pointed out, if he can keep his streak going he’ll be in line to suit up for his 1,500th career regular-season game in a Sharks uniform later this month when San Jose visits Toronto on Oct. 25.
“I mean, what can you say about an athlete like that?” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer added. “No training camp, no exhibition games, and show up and play a game like that, and give us a boost at a critical time. That’s why he’s the player he is.”
The Sharks return to action Sunday at home against the Calgary Flames. It’ll mark Marleau’s first home game as a Shark since April 22, 2017 when they were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round of the 2017 post-season.
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