Spurgeon Scores In Overtime, Wild Beat Sharks 3-2
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jared Spurgeon scored with 12 seconds left in overtime to give the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night.
Spurgeon added an assist, and Jason Zucker had two assists, setting up Spurgeon in the extra session as Minnesota tied a season-high with its fourth straight victory.
Matt Cullen and Eric Staal also scored for the Wild, who have earned points in 23 of their past 25 home games. Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves for Minnesota.
Joakim Ryan and Chris Tierney scored for San Jose, which built a two-goal lead and was 23-0-1 when leading after two periods. Martin Jones stopped 38 shots for the Sharks, who lost the final three games of a four-game trip.
Spurgeon managed to collect the puck in the offensive zone after Brent Burns couldn't corral it. Spurgeon sent a cross-ice pass to a uncovered Zucker. Instead of shooting on Jones, who slid across the crease, Zucker passed back to Spurgeon for a wide-open goal.
Ryan had his first NHL goals with a pair against Edmonton on Feb. 10 and added to the tally 14:00 into the first when he snapped a quick shot past Dubnyk on a cross-ice feed from Jannik Hansen.
Off their back-to-back losses in Nashville and Chicago, the Sharks came out determined in the first and put up 17 shots in the period. Minnesota responded and allowed just four shots in the second while putting up 19 of its own, but the teams traded goals in the second.
San Jose's Kevin LeBanc caused a turnover at center ice and fed Tierney, who flipped a backhand shot past Dubnyk just 2:28 into the second to extend his career best with his 15th goal.
Cullen countered with 43.4 seconds left in the period, tipping home a pass from Spurgeon.
Staal tied the game with 4:44 left on a wraparound that deflected off of Jones. Staal has eight goals and five assists in his past 10 games and reached the 30-goal mark for the sixth time in his career.
NOTES: Minnesota placed veteran F Chris Stewart on waivers on Sunday. Stewart had been scratched in 10 of the past 15 games. He has nine goals and four assists in 47 games this season. ... San Jose D Justin Braun was scratched after missing the morning skate with the flu. It's the first game Braun has missed this season. ... Wild D Jonas Brodin practiced on Sunday for the first time since injuring his hand on Feb. 6. . The Sharks were 0 for 1 on the power play and are 0 for 20 in their past nine games. ... Minnesota is 11-6-2 in the past 19 games against San Jose, including five straight wins.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Host Edmonton on Tuesday night.
Wild: Host St. Louis on Tuesday night.
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