Hertl scores overtime winner as Sharks rally past Rangers
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Tomás Hertl scored 1:29 into overtime and the NHL-worst San Jose Sharks rallied past the New York Rangers 3-2 on Tuesday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.
San Jose erased a 2-0 deficit with goals by Nico Sturm and Ryan Carpenter in the first five minutes of the third period. Hertl then fired a cross-ice feed from Jan Ruuta into an open net to win it on a play set up by Alexander Barabanov controlling the puck in the offensive zone.
"(Ruuta and Barabanov) made a great play and I got an empty-netter," Hertl said. "Kind of an easy goal for me, but a great job by them for sure. Huge win for us, and it's nice to have three in a row."
Artemi Panarin scored his 29th goal for the scuffling Rangers, who finished 1-2-1 on their West Coast trip and are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist.
Panarin's goal doubled New York's lead 1:38 into the second period when he beat screened goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood over the right shoulder with a sharp wrist shot. Panarin, the top scorer for the Metropolitan Division leaders, has points in 14 of his last 16 games.
Fox scored the only goal of the first, poking in a rebound off a wrist shot by Alexis Lafrenière that set off a scramble in front of the San Jose net.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette thought his team could have pressed more in the offensive zone.
"We made mistakes in the third period and it cost us," Laviolette said. "They were able to tie it up and push it to overtime. That's disappointing, just from that standpoint. We were in a position to win the game going into the third and we didn't get it done."
Sturm took advantage of a misplay by the Rangers behind their own net, picking off a pass from Erik Gustafsson and banking in the puck off goalie Igor Shesterkin. Minutes later, Carpenter tipped in a shot from the point by Rutta to tie it 2-all.
The Sharks are unbeaten since captain Logan Couture returned from injury last Saturday. They lost 15 of the prior 16 games.
"Just couldn't be prouder of this team," Sharks coach David Quinn said after beating his former club. "I've been proud of them on many occasions in a tough season, but none more so than I am tonight."
Blackwood made 29 saves in the win. Shesterkin stopped 19 shots.
After winning in a shootout Monday night at Los Angeles, the Sharks have won both games of a back-to-back for the first time all season.
"Came back late, not a lot of sleep for the boys and feeling the body a little bit, trailing against another good team and then to come back ... it's a gutsy win by the group," Sturm said.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.
Sharks: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.