Kessel, Soderstrom Lead Coyotes Past Sharks 5-2
SAN JOSE (AP) -- Phil Kessel scored the go-ahead goal for his 900th career point and Victor Soderstrom scored his first NHL goal as the Arizona Coyotes beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Friday night.
Conor Garland added a goal and two assists for Arizona, which also benefited from an overturned San Jose goal that would have tied it in the third.
Kessel scored a breakaway goal to snap a 2-2 at 4:53 of the third, just minutes after being denied by Sharks goalie Josef Korenar on a similar play.
Erik Karlsson appeared to net a tying goal with 12:14 left, but Arizona issued a coach's challenge and the goal was denied when San Jose was found to be offside.
Michael Bunting made it 4-2 with a goal that was set up nicely by Garland and Jan Jenik added an empty-netter just before the final horn.
Darcy Kuemper had 26 saves for Arizona.
Karlsson's first-period goal gave the Sharks the lead, and they made it 2-0 on Timo Meier's 11th goal of the season early in the second. But Arizona answered right back with the first career NHL goal for Soderstrom, who patiently worked the puck down the right side and rattled a shot into the upper left corner of the net to make it 2-1.
The Sharks were close to killing off a 5-on-3 power play, but Garland scored on a one-timer for his first goal since March 31.
SCARY MOMENT
SAP Center went quiet in the first period after Sharks rookie forward John Leonard crashed head-first into the boards near Arizona's bench and lay motionless on the ice for a couple minutes.
Eventually Leonard got to his feet with assistance from the training staff and was helped off the ice.
COUTURE SIDELINED
Sharks captain Logan Couture was scratched Friday with a lower-body injury that could sideline him for the team's final two games.
San Jose coach Bob Boughner said during his morning media session that Couture has been bothered by the injury for a while. With the Sharks out of playoff contention, the team will play it safe. San Jose hosts Arizona again Saturday and finishes the season at home Wednesday against Vegas.
UP NEXT
The teams face each other in a Saturday rematch in San Jose.
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