Upon further review, Adam Gaudette scored with 4:43 remaining in the second period and lifted the host San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.
Gaudette’s goal, his sixth of the year, was the second of two goals in a 1:14 span that flipped the game in San Jose’s favor. Will Smith and William Eklund both scored power-play goals, and Macklin Celebrini assisted on both that came on the man-advantage.
After being pulled in the second period on Wednesday, Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov rebounded Friday by making 32 saves and earned his fourth win in his last five games.
Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson tallied goals for the Canucks, who have lost four of their last five. Conor Garland, Filip Hronek, Evander Kane and Tom Willander all added assists.
Nikita Tolopilo stopped 21 shots in his fourth NHL start, but the Belarusian made a critical error in saving Gaudette’s goal. Tolopilo caught it, but a replay showed the netminder’s glove ventured past the goal line.
Boeser’s ninth of the season started the scoring with 15:32 left in the opening period, but Smith tied it nearly five minutes later.
Pettersson reclaimed the lead for Vancouver with 16:56 left in the second. The Canucks’ top-line center scooped the puck, spinning on its side, with his stick and banked it in off Askarov’s right skate blade.
The game changed, though, with 7:32 left in the second when Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct. Marcus Pettersson would join him in the penalty box 43 seconds later after tripping Celebrini in front of the net.
San Jose took advantage of the 5-on-3 as Eklund leveled the game at 5:57, his sixth of the season and first since Oct. 30. Six seconds after Petersson’s penalty ended, Philipp Kurashev fed Gaudette behind the Canucks goal, with the center flipping it forward for a backhand shot.
Officials blew the puck dead, but replay officials initiated a review during the media timeout and determined the puck crossed the line.
San Jose scored twice on six power-play chances, while Vancouver went 0-for-8.
–Field Level Media
