Sharks Fall Apart in Third Period, Lose to Sabres in Overtime

BOX SCORE

BUFFALO, N.Y.  - Evander Kane scored 1:05 into overtime and the Buffalo Sabres overcame a three-goal deficit in the third period to defeat the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Kane scored twice in the game, and the Sabres got three goals in a span of 3:28 to erase San Jose's 4-1 lead. Ryan O'Reilly had a goal and assist, while Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson also scored for Buffalo.

Jack Eichel set up two goals, including Kane's game-winner. Driving up the right wing on a 2-on-1, Eichel slipped a pass through the middle that Kane snapped in before falling headfirst into the end boards. The Sabres rallied from a three-goal deficit to win for the first time since a 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders on Dec. 27, 2014.

Joel Ward, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski and Melker Karlsson scored for the Pacific Division-leading Sharks. Brent Burns had two assists.

The Sabres' frantic comeback extended their dominance over the Sharks. Buffalo improved to 17-1-1 at home against San Jose, with their only regulation loss a 5-0 decision on Dec. 2, 2005, in Joe Thornton's debut with the Sharks.

The Sabres also improved to 10-0-1 in the past 11 meetings since a 5-2 loss at San Jose on Jan. 23, 2010.

Buffalo extended its home point streak to 6-0-1, marking the team's best streak since going 7-0-2 from Feb. 17 to March 24, 2012. The Sabres haven't lost at home in regulation since a 4-2 defeat to Boston on Dec. 29.

This was one of the more improbable victories for the Sabres, who were being thoroughly outplayed through 2 1/2 periods and outshot 34-20 when Pavelski put the Sharks ahead 4-1 with a power-play goal 6:07 into the third.

O'Reilly started the comeback by scoring at the 9:03 mark, when he one-timed in Eichel's feed into the middle.

Kane scored 2:33 later to cut San Jose's lead to 4-3, when he eluded Tomas Hertl's check behind the net and came out on the right side to wrap the puck in. The Sharks challenged the goal, questioning whether Buffalo's Tyler Ennis was offside. The goal was allowed to stand when replays were inconclusive.

Okposo tied the game with 7:29 left in the third. Sam Reinhart drove up the right wing and fed a pass through the middle to Okposo, who one-timed a shot from the left circle. Sharks goalie Martin Jones got a piece of the shot with his glove, but the puck had enough momentum to bounce into the net.

Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson made 36 saves, while Jones finished with 31.

San Jose had a four-game road winning streak snapped and dropped to 8-1-2 in their past 11 games.

The Sharks appeared to have the game in hand when they scored four consecutive times after spotting Buffalo a 1-0 lead on Moulson's power-play goal 7:24 in.

Ward and Couture scored 3:10 apart to put San Jose ahead 2-1 at the 17:13 mark of the first period.

Karlsson scored in the second, and then Pavelski one-timed in Burns' pass on a power play to make it 4-1.

Burns extended his road point streak to 14 games, in which the star defenseman has 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists). Burns did have his goal streak snapped at eight road games.

Ward appeared to score 5:22 in, but the goal was waved off by referee Marc Joannette, who ruled he was in process of blowing the whistle before the puck entered the net during a scramble in front.

NOTES

Patrick Marleau had an assist on Pavelski's goal to extend his point streak to seven games (seven goals, four assists). ... Sharks RW Marcus Sorensen had an assist on Karlsson's goal in his NHL debut after spending the previous six seasons playing in his native Sweden. Signed by the Sharks in May, Sorensen had 13 goals and 14 assists in 39 games for San Jose's AHL affiliate before being called up on Monday. ... Moulson's goal was his 21st point of the season, matching his total through 81 games last year.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Continue their four-game road trip at Boston on Thursday night.

Sabres: Host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

Copyright CSNBY - CSN BAY
Contact Us