GOTTA SEE IT: Barabanov Sends Sharks to OT with Buzzer-Beater

The San Jose Sharks were dead in the water.

Down 2-0 after the first period and 3-2 after the second period and 4-3 with literally seconds left, it looked like the Sharks were on their way to their fifth straight loss.

Then Alexander Barabanov delivered a buzzer-beater with 0.6 seconds remaining to tie the game, just the fourth last second goal to tie a game in San Jose Sharks history:

BARABANOV TIES IT WITH 0.6 SECONDS LEFT 😱 pic.twitter.com/v3HoT2MWh3

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) February 18, 2022

Per Darin Stephens, Pat Falloon accomplished this feat on Feb. 28, 1992 at Montreal, Patrick Marleau on Jan. 16, 1999 versus Calgary, and Evander Kane on Jan. 22, 2019 at Washington.

Here’s how Timo Meier, who assisted on the goal, his third point in a dominant night, saw it: “I just tried to somehow get it down to him, really close there. I think it was 0.6 seconds left. Like I said character [from us], that was nice to get the chance to go to overtime.”

There was a review, but both Meier and Tomas Hertl said that they saw the Barabanov bid beat Thatcher Demko before the buzzer.

Unfortunately, the San Jose Sharks were unable to squeeze out that much-needed second point against their division rival, who they’re vying with for a playoff spot.

CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/WyY9VHnOel

— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) February 18, 2022

The Sharks with 49 points are six behind final wild card berth holder Los Angeles Kings, while the Canucks are three back.

It was truly a roller coaster affair tonight — just look at some of my tweets:

The only good thing that I can think of for #SJSharks that first period, outshot 15-4, outscored 2-0? A light crowd didn't boo them off the ice — they should've

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 18, 2022

Good thing it's a shortened 56-game season and there's only eight more games to go this year for #SJSharks

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 18, 2022

After getting outshot 15-4, #SJSharks respond by outshooting #Canucks 15-5 in second. Good for them. But of course, the time for moral victories is more or less gone this season, they need to come up with two here

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 18, 2022

That's incredible — credit to the Sharks for keeping at it

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 18, 2022

But the points are what count in a season that’s slipping away from the San Jose Sharks.

Head coach Bob Boughner kept a brave face though: “If we play the way we did the last two periods, we’re going to get our fair share of points down the stretch.”

They look to stop their losing streak on Sunday against Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights.