Sharks Come Back To Beat Rangers 3-2 in OT

The San Jose Sharks host the New York Rangers at SAP Center.

Nico Sturm and Ryan Carpenter and Tomas Hertl scored, and the Sharks won it 3-2 in OT.

Period 1

2 in: Good Eklund shift to start, confident with puck, backs off defense.

3 in: Maybe Bailey fishes for puck high there? Body would’ve been better there, I think. Blackwood save on counterattack 2-on-1.

4 in: Nice pass by Couture to Duclair.

5 in: I like that from Eklund. Flat-footed on entry, defense on him, he’s probably not going to do much with puck. But he doesn’t do too much and lose it right there high, that’s counterattack risk. He digs in, takes contact, gets it deep at least. That’s a good live to fight another day play.

7 in: Addison trying to defend hard, but that’s not a good NZ pass to Barabanov. Barbie looked covered.

Fox goal: Not sure Okhotiuk should’ve chased Trocheck there? Anyway, Rangers find a soft spot through a fairly passive-looking Sharks box.

And just like that, Rangers up 6-1 shots. Almost 10 in. Such is San Jose Sharks life.

9 in: Zetterlund makes assertive move to attack net, loses it, wonders why no call. Playing with so much confidence.

Thrun and Cuylle race for puck, Thrun does pretty good job to come up with it, though he falls, is tripped? But for a guy whose foot speed is questioned, not too shabby.

9 left: Couture forecheck creates a chance. A pleasure to watch, smarts and hustle.

7 left: Hertl line has a 4-on-2, don’t play fast enough, Hertl looking to pass when he takes control of the puck on entry, instead of showing shot up the middle. Miscommunication, sleepiness, whatever you want to call it. A blown opportunity to at least apply really pressure.

4 left: Another Couture stick check creates an OZ turnover.

3 left: Hertl cuts toward middle, waits for traffic, and shoots. At least need to show that look.

2 left: How does Burroughs miss?? What a Hertl set-up. On replay…how did he miss?? He’ll be thinking about that one later.

Couture-Hertl-Eklund-Barabanov-Zetterlund on PP1.

Credit to the San Jose Sharks, they rallied to take a 9-7 shots lead for the period.

Period 2

Panarin goal: Just pure skill there. Sharks can’t kill the play, they box up, Panarin picks a corner, takes advantage of a Rutta screen.

3 in: Barabanov with back to back Grade-A’s, snuffed out by Shesterkin. Rangers are playing sleepy, bailed out there.

You can hear Hertl shouting at the ref from up in the press box, wondering why there wasn't a tripping call to give Sharks a two-man advantage

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 24, 2024

PP2 is Addison-Duclair-Hoffman-Duclair-Kunin. Kunin with a rush Grade-A on PP. Rangers just daring San Jose Sharks to come back.

8 in: Eklund gets in Wheeler’s kitchen on PK. I wonder if this will stick, Eklund on the PK. Quinn has complimented him there recently.

10 in: Good one-on-one battle win for Vlasic over Zibanejad. However, don’t love his puck-moving on that shift. Just a tad rushed, not tape to tape to get offense going.

Hertl gets the call he wanted (and deserved), tripping on Panarin. Big PP coming up.

8 left: Not a good giveaway by Eklund on PP there, trying to find Hertl, they knew that’s what he wanted. Wasted power play, no shots I think.

6 left: Sturm with back to back clears on PK, then sprints back to the bench for a change. Love watching him. Looking at Rangers line-up, they’d probably benefit from a center like him.

1 left: Rutta just bodies Lafreniere out the way for the puck. Sharks’ D structure looked pretty good to end there, but leads to no offense.

Period 3

1 in: Burroughs bailed out a little. San Jose Sharks shift we’ve seen too much this year, he had a moment of possession to exit, can’t take advantage, Panarin line keeps in the zone, circling and circling. Puck goes into netting. But can’t move the puck, can’t kill plays.

Sturm goal: That’s just a playing hard goal. Kunin gets it deep, his forecheck makes Gustafsson guess. Then Sturm beats his check.

Rangers trying to turn it on, they don’t want to end their road trip with a loss to the lowly Sharks. While the Sharks should be reinvigorated. We might be in for an exciting end.

4 in: Followed by good forecheck from Sturm line, Sturm pins Lindgren, they get a shot.

Carpenter goal: That’ll wake the Rangers up. Carpenter was kicked out of the draw, but he won it as winger, beating his check Vesey to the puck. Bonino had beat Zadina on the draw. Outstanding overall effort by him.

Whoa funny hop, Lafreniere should’ve put that home.

7 in: Eklund mixing it up with Lindgren, no fear, love to see it.

“Let’s go Sharks! Let’s go Sharks!” resounding for the first time tonight, Sharks have woken their crowd up with their comeback.

8 left: Thrun navigates out of trouble behind Blackwood smartly, using Rutta.

Addison penalty: He’s trying to defend hard, give him credit. Vesey goes down easy for a 6-foot-2 forward?

4 left: Eklund negotiates out of trouble along the wall beautifully. Love to see that. Flat-footed, Ranger on him, able to distribute to Hertl at center ice. Don’t need anything highlight there, just the right play.

OT

Sturm-Eklund-Thrun to start. Eklund picks Kreider behind the net, seems to frustrate him.

Hertl goal: Rutta just abused Lafreniere on the pick. Whoa. Great work by Barabanov and Rutta.