The Sharks already held the distinction of
being the first team in NHL history to blow consecutive 2-goal leads by
surrendering 4 straight goals. They did not want to make that three games in a
row. They avoided the dubious record by only scoring once in the opening
period. They would need a heroic goal late from Tomas Hertl to get to overtime,
before Logan Couture scored in the extra period to help the Sharks win 3-2.
Couture scored the game winner 1:21 into overtime after Erik Karlsson
sent a lead pass to him as he streaked up the ice. Couture deeked right before
sliding the game winner through goaltender David Rittich's pads for his 22nd
goal of the season. San Jose improved to 19-33-12, more than doubling their
road win total versus the same tally on home ice.
Steven Lorentz
staked San Jose to a 1-0 lead 14:13 into the game after he punched home a puck
off a scrum in front of the Jets net. Lorentz was staged outside the left post,
and was able to get a shot past Rittich for his 7th goal of the season.
Winnipeg out-shot San Jose 14-7 in the period, largely fueled by a
pair of power play chances on minor penalties from William Eklund and Nikolai
Knyzhov.
Shark killer Nino Niederreiter scored his 6th goal of the
season against San Jose with a shot from the high slot 6:05 into the 2nd
period. Acquired by Winnipeg at the trade deadline, Niederreiter has 19 goals
this season, and almost a third of them have come against San Jose. The forward
collected a Josh Morrissey pass with his back to the goal, before spinning to
his right and uncorking a shot that found the upper right corner of the net.
Lorentz just missed on a multi-goal game when his shot rang off the
right post 7 minutes into 3rd.
Nate Schmidt pushed the Jets into the lead with 5:07
remaining in regulation. The veteran forward positioned himself just outside
the right post as Nikoaj Ehlers carried the puck behind the Sharks net. Rather
that continue on with the puck, Ehlers dropped it out to Schmidt for the one
time chance that beat Reimer over the glove hand.
The Sharks pulled
Reimer with 1:49 to play. That plan worked as Tomas Hertl scored with 10.2
seconds remaining when he ripped a one-time shot from the bottom of the left
circle. Erik Karlsson sent a diagonal pass through the slot from the right
point to earn his 62nd assist of the season.
Couture and Karlsson
worked their magic 85 seconds later, and the Sharks snapped their 5-game losing
streak.
Game Notes: * Nikolai Knyzhov returned to the
ice for the first time since May 12, 2001. Knyzhov has battled injury after
injury and last played in the NHL 663 days ago.
* Jacob MacDonald was
injured in the opening period and did not return.
* William Eklund saw
time on the power play unit, as San Jose is auditioning replacements for
recently traded Timo Meier.
* Tomas Hertl has scored goals in back to
back games for the first time since November 11th. Hertl scored goals in three
straight games from November 5th through the 11th against Anaheim, St Louis and
Dallas.
* The Sharks dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 41 of 60
draws for a 68 conversion rate.
