Logan Couture makes long-awaited return, records assist in Sharks' 5-3 win over Ducks
Sharks captain Logan Couture made a long-awaited return from injury with an assist in his first game this season as San Jose beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 on Saturday night.
Fabian Zetterlund had a goal and an assist, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Kyle Burroughs and Jan Rutta also scored and Tomás Hertl added an empty-netter for the Sharks, who entered the game having lost 15 of 16 games.
Trailing 4-2, Anaheim's Mason McTavish cut the deficit to 4-3 with a wrist shot on the power play that beat Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood with under five minutes to play in the third period, but San Jose held off a final push. Blackwood made 32 saves.
The game was scoreless until the teams combined for five goals in the last five minutes of the second period. Couture fed Vlasic on the rush with a backhand pass to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 15:04.
Anaheim answered 15 seconds later, with Jackson LaCombe scoring his first NHL goal after Blackwood was pressured behind the net and turned the puck over.
Burroughs scored to put San Jose back ahead 2-1, finishing a pass from Hertl after Hertl stole the puck in the offensive zone. Zetterlund, two minutes later, roofed a wrist shot on the rush over John GIbson's shoulder. Adam Henrique scored in the final seconds to make it 3-2 after two.
Rutta scored on a wrist shot at 12:15 of the third to give the Sharks an insurance goal.
Anaheim — wrapping up a six-game road trip — has lost nine of 11.
Couture centered a line with William Eklund and Alexander Barabanov. The captain revealed before Saturday's game that he was dealing with osteitis pubis, a hip/groin injury. Couture played in all 82 games last season and led Sharks' forwards with 67 points.
Couture said there were days when he couldn't get out of bed and as recently as two months ago, he was uncertain if he'd ever play in the NHL again. On his first shift, Couture delivered a hit into the boards on Ilya Lyubushkin. In the second period, he drew a boarding penalty in the offensive zone.
The Ducks were without forward Alex Killorn, who will miss four to six weeks after the team announced he will undergo arthroscopic left knee surgery next week. The free agent acquisition joins a long list of key Anaheim players dealing with injuries, including Trevor Zegras (ankle), and Pavel Mintyukov (shoulder).
Up Next
Ducks: Host the Rangers on Sunday night.
Sharks: Visit the Kings on Monday night.
