Instant Replay: Sharks thwarted by Sens in shootout

BOX SCORE

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks erased a two-goal deficit, but saw their five-game winning streak come to an end in a shootout on Monday at SAP Center, 4-3.

The Sharks trailed 2-1 entering the third period, but Logan Couture’s second of the season tied it up. Joel Ward battled for a loose puck and managed to slip it to Couture, who hissed a wrist shot through Craig Anderson at 2:47 of the final frame.

That set up what was arguably the prettiest San Jose goal of the season. Joonas Donskoi handled a Chris Tierney feed between his legs in the high slot, and sent a pass through the seam to Matt Nieto, who went to his backhand and deposited the puck through a sprawled out Anderson at 7:54.

The Sharks had a chance to increase their lead on the power play, but instead it was Ottawa getting a shorthanded goal on a penalty shot. Brent Burns got caught out of position and was forced to trip Zack Smith, who was racing in on a breakaway. Smith converted the ensuing penalty shot with 5:31 to go in regulation.

In their third-straight game that went past regulation at home, the Sharks failed to convert on a power play over the final 1:52 of overtime. In the shootout, Mika Zibanejad was the only player to score, giving Ottawa the extra point.

The Sharks (23-18-3, 49 points) fell one game short of their season-long six-game winning streak in November. They are tied for second place in the Pacific Division with the Coyotes, who they meet on Thursday in Arizona, with one game in hand.

Ottawa scored the only goal of the first period with a little help from goalie Alex Stalock. Max McCormick had a half step on Dylan DeMelo, and Stalock came charging out of his crease to try to poke the puck away from the Ottawa fourth-liner. McCormick got the shot away, though, slapping it through the Sharks' wandering goalie at 11:12.

It was the latest on a long list of odd goals given up by Stalock this season.

A pair of goals just eight seconds apart highlighted the middle frame.

The Sens increased their lead to 2-0 at 4:08, when a Bobby Ryan point shot on the power play deflected inside the near post off of Burns' stick.

San Jose responded at 4:16. Burns took the ensuing faceoff win into the offensive zone, found Joe Thornton to his right, and Thornton spotted a charging Tomas Hertl in front of the net for a redirection.

The goal was Hertl’s fourth since he was moved back up to Thornton’s line six games ago. Prior to the move, he had just two in his last 34 games.

The Senators beat the Sharks at Canadian Tire Center on Dec. 18, 4-2, in the only other game of the season series.

Special teams

The Sharks had just one power play in regulation, and did not convert while allowing their third shorthanded goal of the season. They finished 0-for-2, including the advantage they had in overtime in which Joe Pavelski hit a post.

Ottawa was 1-for-1. Penalty killing remains a concern of late, as San Jose is just 18-for-28 over the last 10 games (64.2 percent).

In goal

Stalock was making his second start in a week, after beating the Jets, 4-1, on Jan. 12 in Winnipeg. He saw just 17 shots, making 14 saves, and fell to 3-5-1.

Anderson, who has seemingly become the No. 1 ahead of last season’s sensation Andrew Hammond, was making his third-straight start. He stopped 32 shots and is 19-13-4.

Lineup

Ottawa lost its leading goal-scorer Mike Hoffman about six minutes into the second period, when the forward crashed hard into the post after getting tangled up with a backchecking Justin Braun.

Thornton, who passed Stan Mikita for 17th all-time with his 927th assist, increased his point streak to six games. In his last 14 games, the former captain has five goals and 14 assists.

Up next

The Sharks and Coyotes will meet for the first of five times on Thursday at Gila River Arena. San Jose then returns for three more home games leading up to the All-Star break, starting with Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.