LetsGoDU

Matt Carle Scores a Goal in First Professional Game

(above) San Jose Sharks Kyle McLaren, left, celebrates the Sharks 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild with teammate Matt Carle (25) in an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 25, 2006, in St. Paul, Minn. Carle scored his first NHL goal during the game. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

Rookie Sharks defenseman Matt Carle got caught by the speed of the game on a few occasions and took two penalties Saturday, but he capped his NHL debut by scoring in the final minute of a 5-1 victory over Minnesota.

"It was a good first game, I guess,'' said Carle, who signed last Sunday after finishing his junior season at the University of Denver.

He added, "A good experience. But I still have a ways to go to get up to that level.''

Carle, who logged 10 1/2 minutes, became the 10th Shark to score in his first game. He joins Grant Stevenson, Milan Michalek, Miroslav Zalesak, Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm, Alexander Korolyuk, Marcus Ragnarsson, Jan Caloun and Jeff McLean.

"I just kind of threw it on net,'' Carle said. "I was at the top of the circle and just decided to shoot it. I don't really know how it went in, so I've got to watch it on video before any comments about it.''

Coach Ron Wilson said Carle probably would not have played if flu-ridden Josh Gorges had been healthy. "He was on the ice for a goal-against, but that wasn't his fault: Nobody backed him up,'' Wilson said. "He was nervous at times, but who wouldn't be? There were a lot of things he did so well. It's fun to see a defenseman skate like that.''