Burns' goal lifts Sharks past Ducks in OT
ANAHEIM, Calif -- Brent Burns scored in overtime off a centering pass from Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Tuesday night at Honda Center.
Anaheim fell to 1-6-1 in overtime or shootouts this season, including 0-6 in the five-minute extra session, while San Jose improved to 6-1
The Ducks tied the score with 6:25 left in the third period following a turnover in the neutral zone sent the Ducks scurrying back toward the San Jose net.
Andrew Cogliano dropped the puck back to Ryan Kesler, who just crossed the blue line. Kesler's wrist shot was deflected in the slot by Jakob Silfverberg and the puck wobbled through the pads of San Jose goaltender Martin Jones for his 10th goal of the season.
The first three goals were scored by players who combined for six goals in 80 games this season.
San Jose broke a 1-1 tie with 5:42 left in the second period after Joel Ward chipped a centering pass to Melker Karlsson, who got just enough of the puck to redirect it past Ducks goaltender John Gibson.
Ondrej Kase tied the score for the Ducks minutes earlier, sweeping the puck past Jones after the goalie fell to his back making a close-in save on Nick Ritchie.
Kase, who hit the post in the first period, was out of position on the shot, as his back was facing away from the net, but his no-look backhand sweep was on target. It was the second goal in 20 games for Kase, who was injured for most of training camp and opened the season in the minors.
Anaheim had more scoring chances in the opening period and outshot the Sharks 14-6, but San Jose went to the first intermission holding a 1-0 lead.
The goal came at the 6:30 mark following a pile-up in front of the net involving Logan Couture of the Sharks and Gibson, Ritchie and Antoine Vermette of the Ducks. Ritchie appeared to bump into Couture and send him crashing into Gibson, and Ritchie then took out Vermette.
The puck ended up on the stick of Paul Martin as the four players lay on the ice, and he shot it into the open net from above the left circle. It was Martin's third goal of the season, matching his total from 2015-16.
The Ducks had to kill 1:54 left on a penalty to Silfverberg to start the second period and went right back on the penalty kill after Shea Theodore went to the box for cross-checking. Anaheim had two prime short-handed scoring opportunities, while San Jose had one shot on goal during the penalty.
The Ducks went on the power play for the first time and kept the puck in San Jose's zone for nearly the entire man-advantage, but couldn't get it past Jones until Kase's backhand at even strength.
NOTES: Anaheim Ducks D Sami Vatanen was a surprise scratch for the first time this season. Anaheim D Korbinian Holzer moved into the lineup on the blue line. ... San Jose G Martin Jones made his fourth start of the season against Anaheim and improved to 4-7-0 in his career against the Ducks, his most appearances and most losses against any NHL team. ... San Jose C Tommy Wingels was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game as RW Joel Ward remained on the fourth line. Wingels, who had one assist in the previous nine games before he was scratched Friday against the Edmonton Oilers, is in the final season of a three-year contract and his roster spot could be in jeopardy when C Tomas Hertl returns from knee surgery sometime next month. Hertl, who underwent surgery Nov. 22, skated for the first time since Tuesday. ... San Jose D David Schlemko was scratched for the third straight game.