Rakell's Overtime Goal Puts Ducks Over Sharks, 3-2
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Rickard Rakell scored 14 seconds into overtime, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Sharks 3-2 Sunday night for their second win over San Jose during a six-game homestand.
Adam Henrique had a goal and an assist, while Anthony Stolarz made 20 saves in Anaheim's fourth victory in 11 games. The Ducks went 3-3-0 on their longest homestand of the season.
Marc-Édouard Vlasic ended his 76-game goal drought and Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, who have lost 11 of 13. Zach Sawchenko stopped 33 shots for San Jose, which rebounded solidly from an embarrassing 8-0 loss to Nashville one night earlier.
Rakell won it when Troy Terry made a cross-ice pass to him near the Ducks' bench shortly after the overtime opening faceoff. Rakell skated in and beat Sawchenko. After video replay, the officials determined Rakell was onside and the Ducks didn't have too many men on the ice, infuriating the Sharks.
Sonny Milano scored the tying goal early in the third period, while Terry and Cam Fowler had two assists apiece in the latest matchup of two former California powerhouses struggling to get into playoff contention for yet another season.
Jacob Middleton appeared to score a shorthanded tiebreaking goal for the Sharks with 7:03 to play on an odd-man counterattack with Matt Nieto, but Anaheim used its challenge and officials determined Middleton had gone offside before his score.
Anaheim was without All-Star goalie John Gibson (lower body) and captain Ryan Getzlaf (upper body) due to new injuries. The Ducks then lost forward Isac Lundestrom in the first period with a lower-body injury that apparently happened when he barreled into the boards after missing Timo Meier with an attempted check.
San Jose is still without top goalie James Reimer and star defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Couture's close-range goal put the Sharks ahead near the midway point of the first period before the Ducks had even registered their first shot on goal. Henrique scored a tying goal early in the second when a high rebound of Max Comtois' shot ricocheted off Henrique's body and went in.
Vlasic got credit for putting the Sharks back ahead just 76 seconds later when his long, off-target shot fortuitously deflected off Kevin Shattenkirk's shin pads well in front of Stolarz.
Vlasic, the 16-year Sharks veteran, hadn't scored in his first 48 games this season. He also scored just one goal — on March 8, 2021 — in 51 appearances last season.
Milano evened it again in the waning moments of the second period, converting a rebound for his 12th goal of the season, two off his career high.
