Sharks Rally Late, Beat Flames In Shootout
SAN JOSE (CBS / AP) -- Michal Handzus and Brent Burns scored in the shootout and the San Jose Sharks rallied to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.
Torrey Mitchell tied the game midway through the third period and Antti Niemi made 27 saves and was perfect in the shootout. The Sharks earned just their third win all season when trailing after two periods.
Chris Butler scored the lone goal for the Flames, who have lost six straight road games. Calgary had been 14-0-2 when leading after two periods but was unable to hold onto this lead in the latest road disappointment. Miikka Kiprusoff made 30 saves.
San Jose appeared to win the game in overtime on a goal by Justin Braun, but it was waved off because of goaltender interference when San Jose's Tommy Wingels and Calgary's Olli Jokinen ran into Kiprusoff.
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But the Sharks prevailed in the shootout. After neither team scored in the first round, Handzus beat Kiprusoff with a backhand to give San Jose the lead. Michael Cammalleri missed at the other end for the Flames, and then Burns won it with a sharp backhand for his fifth goal in 13 career shootout attempts, including two against Kiprusoff.
The Sharks finally broke through with their first goal midway through the third period to tie the game at 1. Handzus' original shot was saved by Kiprusoff, but Handzus knocked the rebound back toward the goal. Mitchell came from behind the net to get the loose puck and knock it in for his fifth goal.
That's where the game stood until the shootout, thanks in part to a sharp glove save by Kiprusoff on Jamie McGinn in the final minute of regulation and the goaltender interference call in overtime.
There was plenty of action but only one goal in the second period as the Flames took a 1-0 lead into the third. Jason Demers hit the post with a shot for San Jose early in the period—the third of the game for the Sharks. When they managed to get the puck on net, Kiprusoff was up to the task.
He was at his best midway through the period when he made a strong stop on Patrick Marleau and then slid to rob Handzus with a sprawling save on the rebound to keep the game scoreless.
The Flames quickly answered at the other end when Jarome Iginla's pass to Cammalleri near the top of the crease missed its target and bounced off the side boards to Butler at the point. Butler then sent a slap shot past Niemi for his second goal of the season.
Calgary missed a chance to add to the lead when T.J. Brodie's pass to a wide-open Iginla in front of the net hit Iginla's skate instead of his stick and trickled back to Niemi at the side of the net.
The Sharks matched a season low with just four shots in the opening period but they were not without chances. Frazer McLaren hit the post on a 2-on-1, and Joe Pavelski shot one off the crossbar while alone in front of a falling Kiprusoff on the only power play in the period.
Calgary managed six shots despite a quick, up-tempo pace to the play.
Notes: Calgary F Curtis Glencross left the game in the second period with an undisclosed lower body injury and didn't return. ... Burns assisted on Mitchell's goal for his 200th career point. ... The Flames had no power plays. ... Sharks F Ryane Clowe sat out with an undisclosed upper body injury. He had played three games since crashing face first into the boards last week in Minnesota.
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