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Hansen earns rave reviews after first game with Sharks

Jannik Hansen

San Jose Sharks right wing Jannik Hansen (36), from Denmark, celebrates with teammates after a goal by Joe Thornton against the Washington Capitals during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, March 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

AP

It didn’t take long for Jannik Hansen to register his first point as a member of the San Jose Sharks.

Halfway through the first period of last night’s game against the Capitals, Hansen, in his first game for the Sharks, raced into the corner to recover a loose puck. He then wheeled behind Washington’s net, coming out the other side to feed Joe Thornton, who one-timed it past Braden Holtby to tie the contest, 1-1.

The Sharks would go on to win, 4-2. And afterwards, Hansen received rave reviews from his new head coach.

“I loved him,” Pete DeBoer said, per CSN Bay Area. “I like that he came as advertised. Energy, speed. He’s going to really help our penalty kill. I thought he fit in real good with Joe (Thornton) and Joe (Pavelski). He plays a man’s game out there. He’s really going to help.”

The Sharks acquired Hansen last week in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks.

“It felt like we were playing with him for a long time, it really did,” Pavelski told reporters. “He just went, and just went hard. Made a lot of plays. His speed, playing on the inside, allowed us to keep a few pucks alive.”

The Sharks host Nashville tomorrow.

Related: Hansen adds more speed to Sharks, who were already faster