The San Jose Sharks (6-4-1) look to sweep their three-game road trip today with a tough match in the state of hockey against the Minnesota Wild (5-3-0).
The Sharks, fresh off a shootout win against the Colorado Avalanche, added a new forward to their line, Barclay Goodrow, looking to make a splash in the roster.
The first period saw an early goal by defenseman Jason Demers that was quickly waved off. A holding penalty by Adam Burish puts the Sharks on their first penalty kill in the game.
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Luckily for the Sharks, Antti Niemi was there watching every shot, keeping the Wild out of the net. The Wild defense was weak, letting the Sharks into the zone twice on their powerplay.
But, luckily for them too that Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper held things together for the most part. This game was a true battle of the netminders.
After a Sharks powerplay with nothing to come of it, Sharks rookie defenseman Mirco Mueller scores his first NHL goal, making it 1-0 in the middle of the first.
In the second was an early powerplay for the Sharks, thanks to the Wild’s Stephane Veilleux’s charging penalty. Improving the Shark’s powerplay percentage is Tommy Wingels, shooting it past Kuemper making it 2-0.
Soon thereafter, Wild captain Mikko Koivu makes it 2-1.
The third period saw much of the same, a hard rush by the Sharks to get into the offensive zone and a lackluster offense from the Wild, barely keeping them into the game.
Sharks Joe Thornton gets a wrist shot past Kuemper early in the third with a feed from Joe Pavelski.
But on an offensive burst from the Wild, Kyle Brodziak tips in a goal from Thomas Vanek, cutting the Sharks lead from 3-1 to 3-2.
Soon, Vanek and Brodziak do it again, tying the game 10:32 into the third, putting the Sharks on high alert once again, bringing them into overtime as the third period draws to a close.
On an offensive rush, Sharks Brent Burns digs the puck past Kuemper in what looks like a good goal but is quickly waved off as the net comes up, but after an official review, the goal did not stand. The game surges on as the clock runs out and the Sharks and Wild head into a shoot out.
Zach Parise is first up for the Wild and misses wide. Logan Couture slides one in five-hole past Kuemper, but then Mikko Koivu roofs it above Niemi, tying it up again.
Joe Pavelski shoots it wide. Jason Pominville makes it 2-1 MIN, as the game rides on Patrick Marleau’s stick. Kuemper blocks the shot.
Minnesota Wild win 4-3 F/SO. Sharks head home to face the New York Islanders (6-3-0).