Schlemko's OT goal lifts Sharks over Avalanche
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- David Schlemko scored his second goal of the season 1:18 into overtime to give the Sharks a hard-earned 3-2 victory over Colorado at SAP Center on Saturday night.
Schlemko crashed the net during 3-on-3 sudden death to punch home a rebound of Logan Couture's second shot of the overtime period.
San Jose won their fourth straight game and sixth in eight tries. The Sharks and last-place Avalanche play again Monday in Denver.
The Avalanche outshot the Sharks 33-27 during regulation before San Jose took all three shots in overtime.
Colorado tied the game 10:24 into the third period when defenseman Francois Beauchemin stepped into a one-timer from the top of the left circle to score his second goal of the season with a blast that sailed over the right blocker of Sharks goaltender Martin Jones.
Avalanche rookie Spencer Martin made 27 saves in his NHL debut.
San Jose received a tie-breaking goal from Melker Karlsson late in the second period to take a 2-1 lead.
Karlsson was alone at the side of the net and tipped Ryan Carpenter's drive from the right circle over the left catching glove of Martin.
Karlsson's fifth goal of the season came at 15:01, and marked a third straight game the fourth line contributed a goal.
Colorado tied the game earlier in the period by converting an odd-man break at even strength. Brent Burns gambled with a missed poke check at center, which allowed speedy Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon to skate around the Sharks defenseman.
MacKinnon delayed with a toe drag as San Jose defenseman Paul Martin dove to try and prevent a pass, but the puck deflected right to Mikhail Grigorenko, who poked in his fifth goal of the season at 10:30 on Colorado's 17th shot.
The Sharks scored the only goal of the opening period despite getting outshot 13-9.
Jones made a save 15 seconds after the opening faceoff on ex-Shark Matt Nieto's slapper from the left circle and Burns bailed out his goalie by pinning a drive on the far post that slipped through the goalie off the stick of Colorado defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
San Jose struck 1:20 into Beauchemin's penalty for high-sticking Kevin Lebanc. Sharks center Joe Thornton picked up career assist No. 991 with a backhand feed to Joel Ward, who tapped in his fifth goal of the season with the power-play strike at 5:36.
Colorado had the better of chances the remainder of the period as Jones came up large. He made a right toe save on Mikko Rantanen at 11:42 and Fedor Tyutin fired wide on the rebound.
Matt Duchene ended Colorado's first power play three seconds after Justin Braun held Rantanen by committing a faceoff violation.
NOTES: Colorado rookie G Spencer Martin made his NHL debut Saturday. Martin, recalled from San Antonio for the fourth time on Wednesday, was named an AHL All-Star with a 15-9-2 record, 2.62 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. ... San Jose F Tomas Hertl, out since Nov. 17 with a knee injury that required a minor surgical procedure, appears close to returning after missing his 30th game Saturday. He skated hard Saturday, participated in contract drills and suggested he might return sometime next week when the Sharks are scheduled to play three games before the All-Star break. ... Avalanche starting G Semyon Varlamov missed a second straight game with a groin injury that will keep him out indefinitely. ... Colorado RW Rene Bourque and D Tyson Barrie did not play with lower-body injuries and are considered day-to-day. ... F Joe Colborne and D Patrick Weircioch suited up, leaving Colorado with no healthy scratches. ... The Avalanche continues to play without injured D Erik Johnson (broken fibula). ... Colorado F Matt Nieto played his first game against his ex-teammates. The Sharks, who selected Nieto in the second round of the 2011 draft, placed Nieto on waivers in early November. Nieto played five straight games before Saturday on Colorado's second line alongside LW Gabriel Landeskog and C Matt Duchene. ... RW Barclay Goodrow and D Tim Heed were healthy scratches for San Jose.