Donskoi Scores Late in Third to Lift Sharks Over Flames
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- Joonas Donskoi scored the game-winner late in third period and had an assist to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
Justin Braun began the sequence by knocking Johnny Gaudreau off the puck in the Sharks end, beginning a 3-on-2 rush.
Eventually, Joe Thornton got a shot on net that Mike Smith stopped but the rebound was loose between his legs and was tapped in by Donskoi.
Chris Tierney and Timo Meier also had a goal and an assist each to round out the scoring for San Jose (17-10-3).
Michael Frolik and Gaudreau scored for Calgary (16-13-3).
Trailing 2-1, the Flames tied it at 7:39 of the third period when Garnet Hathaway neatly set up Gaudreau on a 2-on-1 for his 13th goal.
It came after coach Glen Gulutzan had shaken up Calgary's lines late in the second in an attempt to spark the offense, moving Gaudreau off the top unit and onto a line with Hathaway and rookie Mark Jankowski.
The Sharks had taken their first lead halfway through the second period on the power play.
Off a face-off win in the Flames end, the Sharks worked the puck back to Kevin Labanc. His long wrist shot was stopped by Smith, but Tierney whacked in the rebound.
Tierney's eighth goal moves him into second place on the team behind Logan Couture. In his fourth NHL season, the 23-year-old is closing in on his career high of 11 set last year.
Power plays were a key story line in the game with the Sharks going 1 for 3 while Calgary could not generate anything in going 0 for 3. That included squandering a 37-second two-man advantage early in the second period.
San Jose tied it when the line of Tierney, Donskoi and Meier combined on a nice goal.
Calgary opened the scoring 4:42 into the first period on a giveaway by Sharks defenseman Tim Heed.
Aaron Dell made 32 stops to improve to 6-3-1.
Smith, who had 26 saves, falls to 13-10-3.
Notes: It was the first of four meetings between the teams this season. ... Kris Versteeg (hip) missed his 10th game. ... Jaromir Jagr (lower body) is back skating but is still day-to-day. He's missed the last five games. ... Donskoi (lower body) returned after missing six games. ... The Flames have led after one period only four times, the fewest in the league.
UP NEXT:
Sharks: Are at Vancouver on Friday.
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