Sharks Fight Back From Three Goal Deficit to Steal OT Win on Long Island
By Conor Power
Tomas Hertl’s hat trick headlines a no-quit effort from the San Jose Sharks on Long Island. Trailing 4-1 in the third period, the San Jose Sharks would rally to get the game back to 4 goals each. Forcing overtime and clinching a point from the jaws of a regulation defeat shows that this team will not quit, no matter what happens. Even in
Halfway through the first period, the Islanders would break the ice. Julien Gauthier leads the Sharks up the ice as he finds a pass to Simon Holmstrom across the slot. He gives it back to the Quebecois winger, and the Islanders establish a lead through the former Ranger. A good start from the Sharks was wiped out in a second of poor defensive play from the team in teal.
However, the Sharks would not drop their heads. It would be the best player on the roster as Anthony Duclair drives the net, and the rebound pops out into the high slot with #48 ready to pounce. Tomas Hertl buries it, and the Sharks are in this game once again, capitalizing on a mistake made by the New York Islanders. That is a three-game point streak for the Sharks star, who is still suffering from kidney stones.
The Islanders would get their lead back from Brock Nelson on the powerplay. The Sharks allow a zone entry too easily, and once that happens, Nelson is just left all alone in the left circle. Kaapo Kahkonen had no chance when it came to trying to stop that one, and the Sharks had to find a way to fight back to try and win this one.
Anthony Duclair was shaken up after blocking a shot from Fabian Zetterlund in the offensive zone. He was then involved in a board battle as Sam Bolduc gave him a shove in the back. He was slow getting up and to the San Jose bench. With injuries piling up for the organization, the Sharks will be hoping he is okay after tonight’s game. It was a very difficult day for Duclair to this point.
Mike Rielly would score short-handed as Holmstrom would feed him at the point, and the defenseman would slap one past Kaapo Kahkonen. This gave the Islanders a multiple-goal lead on the night and made it a very difficult task for the Sharks to try and get back into this one. It would not be easy if the Sharks were going to try and rescue this one.
Ryan Pulock would score on the powerplay as the defenseman caught a shot and got it moving at almost 100 miles an hour. Kahkonen couldn’t do anything, and it was 4-1. Making this a really one-sided game. It was ow a case of just playing for a silver lining. Get the youngsters on the board and get the trade bait some production to up their value.
Nikita Okhotiuk would provide that. He loaded up at the point to try and get the Sharks back into the game. I’m unsure if Kevin Lebanc tipped it out in front, but it beat Ilya Sorokin, and the Sharks were only down by 2. It was good for upping the trade value of the pending UFA Lebanc, and the young defenseman getting on the board is another positive within itself.
Tomas Hertl would make the final three minutes somewhat uncomfortable for the New York Islanders. A shot from the point pinballs around in the slot, eventually hitting the skate of Fabian Zetterlund after hitting an Islander. Sorokin did well to track the puck after the first two bounces, but when Zetterlund kicked the puck over to Hertl, there was no mistake made as it became a one-goal game.
With the extra attacker, the San Jose Sharks would tie the game up at four goals each. Barabanov has a shot blocked, but the Islanders cannot clear the puck. William Ekland drives towards the net with the puck, getting the defensemen to bite on him. He plays a beautiful pass over to Tomas Hertl, who completes his hat trick with his second extra-attacker goal of the night. Riding the Czech center is going to have to happen a lot for the Sharks to win games this season.
In Overtime, the San Jose Sharks would do what they have not done often enough this season. Winning. Mikael Granlund carried the puck up the ice in the final few seconds of the extra frame before dropping the puck to William Eklund. Eklund beats Ilya Sorokin cleanly, and the Sharks fight back from 4-1 down to win against the Islanders 5-4 in overtime.