Sharks Give Up 3 Late Goals In Overtime Loss To Stars
DALLAS (AP) — Mike Ribiero scored at 2:52 of overtime after capping a two-goal comeback in the final 3 minutes of regulation in the Dallas Stars' 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
Ribeiro backhanded a rebound past goalie Antti Niemi in the extra period.
James Neal scored the second of his two goals on the night with 2:35 left in regulation, and Ribeiro tied it at 4 off a scramble in front of the net 29 seconds later.
Ribeiro had gone the first 16 games without a goal, the longest drought to start a season in his 11-year career. Ribeiro thought he'd scored again with 18.4 seconds left in regulation, but the goal was disallowed because the net was off its moorings.
Rookie Logan Couture gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead in the second period less than 3 minutes after Joe Pavelski tied it as the Sharks rallied from an early two-goal deficit.
Brad Richards and Neal connected for the Stars in the game's first 8 minutes.
Scott Nichol and Patrick Marleau also scored for the Sharks, playing their third game in four nights. They were coming off a 4-3 overtime loss at Colorado on Wednesday night.
San Jose is 4-0-3 in its last seven games.
Kari Lehtonen made 36 saves for the Stars, who've won five straight at home.
Nichol fired into the upper right corner of the net from the right circle with 1:19 left in the first period to draw San Jose to 2-1. Pavelski tied it at 2 at 10:21 of the second period when Lehtonen was late covering the right side of the net on a stuff shot.
Couture struck from distance to make it 3-2 at 12:37 of the second period.
There were four fights in the season's first meeting between the Pacific Division rivals, including a second-period scrap between Richards and San Jose's Torrey Mitchell that resulted in 10-minute misconducts for each player.
Richards got the Stars rolling early when he skated from behind the net and stuffed the puck past Niemi at 5:15 of the opening period.
Neal's deflection dribbled through Niemi's pads and into the net at 7:31 of the first period, 15 seconds into a Dallas power play.
Marleau knocked a loose puck past Lehtonen at 6:27 of the third for a two-goal pad.
NOTES: D Douglas Murray (lower body) and D Niclas Wallin (overall body soreness) were out for the Sharks … Marleau had a goal disallowed on a high stick at 7:51 of the third. A video review showed Marleau deflected the puck past Lehtonen with his stick near head level.
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