Labanc, Donato Score In Shootout To Lift Sharks Over Ducks
ANAHEIM (AP) — Kevin Labanc and Ryan Donato scored shootout goals on similar moves and the San Jose Sharks snapped a two-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.
Donato began the shootout by deking right and catching John Gibson off balance, allowing him to score on his short side. Labanc then deked left and stuffed it in on Gibson's glove side.
Brent Burns and Evander Kane each had a goal and an assist in regulation. Matt Nieto and Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, and Martin Jones made 33 saves.
Anaheim's Max Comtois had two goals for his second multigoal game of the season. It is the first time the Ducks have scored more than three goals this year.
"We found a way to get a point but obviously it's disappointing. We let that one slip away," Comtois said.
San Jose was playing its first game since Jan. 28 after two games against Vegas were postponed due to the league's COVID-19 protocols. The Sharks didn't show any early rust as Nieto gave them a 1-0 lead in the first, but they struggled in the second and fell behind 3-1 after 40 minutes.
Couture said some yelling by coach Bob Boughner between periods woke up the Sharks.
"It's tough to come in and be yelled at, but sometimes you need that," he said. "We got challenged and had to create our own energy."
The Sharks scored three straight goals in the first eight minutes of the third to regain the lead. Comtois tied it at 4 with a one-timer at 11:33.
"There was a lot said, I was upset with the guys," Boughner said. "We looked uninspired in parts of the second. I came in after that and challenged them."
Troy Terry had a goal and an assist, and Adam Henrique also scored for the Ducks, who have dropped four of their last five. Gibson stopped 26 shots. Comtois and Rickard Rakell were stopped by Jones during the shootout.
Couture got the Sharks within 3-2 39 seconds into the third period when he put in a rebound after Gibson got his stick on Kane's shot. Kane tied it 97 seconds later with a breakaway, short-handed goal after forcing a turnover in Anaheim's zone. Burns gave the Sharks a 4-3 lead with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle eight minutes into the period.
Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins was unhappy seeing his team squander a two-goal advantage.
"When you have a 3-1 lead, you have to come out and expect to win and do the things we have to do to nail it down. Some were onboard and some were not," Eakins said.
The Sharks converted a 2-on-1 rush for their first goal when Nieto backhanded Marcus Sorensen's pass into the upper right corner of the net. It is Nieto's third goal in five games. Sasha Chmelevski, who was making his NHL debut, got the second assist for his first point.
Henrique tied it at 1 midway through the second period when he put in a rebound of his own shot through Jones' legs. Terry gave the Ducks the lead three minutes later with his first goal on a wrist shot between the faceoff circles. Comtois broke a nine-game scoring drought late in the period with a one-timer off the feed from Rakell.
SIGNS OF LIFE?
Anaheim came in averaging a league-low 1.79 goals per game but have scored three or more in two straight for the first time this season.
MARLEAU'S MILESTONE
San Jose's Patrick Marleau played in his 1,732nd game and took over sole possession of fourth place on the NHL's games played list. The veteran forward, who is in his 22nd season, won't remain in fourth for long. He is one game away from passing Jaromir Jagr for third.
ICE CHIPS
Sharks: Chmelevski, who grew up in Huntington Beach, is the fourth California-born player to play for the Sharks. It is the first time two California natives (Nieto and Chmelevski) have suited up for San Jose in the same game.