The San Jose Sharks coughed up a lead late in the third period, then allowed the game-winner in the final minute of overtime in a 3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
The Sharks turned the puck over inside the Anaheim zone, leading to a 2-on-1 the other way. Troy Terry then sent a saucer pass over the stick of Shakir Mukhamadullin to Frank Vatrano, who fired a puck past goalie Kaapo Kahkonen at the 4:07 mark of overtime to end the game.
Anaheim (18-30-2) tied the game with 1:01 left in regulation time. With an extra attacker on the ice, Terry collected a loose puck near the side of the San Jose net and scored his 15th of the season.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored a go-ahead goal at the 17:57 mark of the second period to give him the longest goal-scoring streak of his NHL career.
Vlasic took a pass from Kyle Burroughs and fired a slapshot past Ducks goalie John Gibson, giving the Sharks a 2-1 lead and the veteran defenseman a goal in three straight games for the first time in 18 years.
Vlasic also scored Jan. 13 in a road game against the Ottawa Senators, and a week later at home against the Ducks off a pretty assist from Logan Couture. Vlasic also had goals against the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres and on Tuesday against Seattle, scored a third-period goal that proved to be the game-winner.
Vlasic’s five goals this season are the most he’s scored in any year since 2019-2020 when he had five goals and 15 points in 70 games.
Anthony Duclair also scored a first-period power-play goal, assisted by Shakir Mukhamadullin for his first NHL point, and Kahkonen made 31 saves.
Sharks winger Alexander Barabanov left the game with an undisclosed ailment just past the midway point of the second period and did not return.
The Sharks (14-32-5) now begin an extended break and do not play again until Feb. 14 when they face the Jets in Winnipeg. NHL All-Star weekend begins Thursday in Toronto, with Tomas Hertl representing the Sharks, who are slated to resume practice on Feb. 10. Hertl has a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.
Before this nine-game span for Vlasic, which began right after he was a healthy scratch for two straight games, the most goals he had in a nine-game stretch was four, during the 2017-18 season.
Since Dec. 1, the Sharks have received 18 goals from their defensemen, the third-highest total in the NHL.
The Sharks and Ducks were tied 1-1 after 20 minutes as Mukhamadullin picked up his first NHL point.
San Jose fell behind at the 2:12 mark.
Nikita Okhotiuk, pressured by Mason McTavish, coughed up the puck behind the goal line to the left of the Sharks net. Jakob Silfverberg then took control, sent the puck to the front of the Sharks’ net, where Isac Lundestrom collected it, and on a second effort while surrounded by San Jose players, poked it past Kahkonen for a 1-0 Ducks lead.
Related Articles
San Jose Sharks defenseman added to AHL All-Star Classic
Sharks defenseman fends off critics: ‘Who would have thought I can still play this game?’
Blackwood shines, shuts out Kraken as Sharks earn fourth win in five games
Sharks’ Hertl out Tuesday and possibly beyond; Eklund to get an ‘evaluation’ at center
Tomas Hertl wants to know the Sharks’ long-term plans. Do they include him?
The Sharks got that goal back as they snapped a 0-for-18 drought with the man advantage.
After Mukhamadullin one-timed a shot on net, Duclair grabbed the rebound and fired a shot past Ducks goalie John Gibson for his ninth goal of the season, snapping a six-game goal drought.
Mukhamadullin was playing the third NHL game of his career. In his first two games with the Sharks, Mukhamadullin, 22, had a plus-minus rating of +1, and averaged 20:45 in ice time as he was paired with veteran Jan Rutta.
+ There are no comments
Add yours