SAN JOSE – Carolina finished a five-game roadtrip following the Olympic break with a 3-2 overtime nod against the host San Jose Sharks Tuesday night at SAP Center.
San Jose, comfortably in a playoff spot with 19 games to play in the regular season, had not played a home game in 25 days. The Sharks moved to within six points of front-running Anaheim in the Pacific Division with the one point earned against the Hurricanes.
After a scoreless third period sent the teams into overtime, Carolina garnered the win with 41.2 seconds left in the extra session.
Hurricane center Elias Lindholm, owner of the lone goal of the second period, was able to pull the puck across the slot to an unmarked Jay Harrison for the quick shot past goaltender Alex Stalock.
Carolina, bringing in a five-game losing streak, posted the game’s first goal.
Jiri Tlusty was able to drive past the Sharks defense after taking a head-man pass from Alexander Semin. Tlusty snapped the puck over Stalock’s shoulder at 12:07 of the first period.
San Jose responded with two goals in the period, including one only 58 seconds after Tlusty’s tally.
After Andrew Desjardins and Tyler Kennedy took turns controlling the puck on the right boards in the Carolina zone, Kennedy’s low shot produced a long rebound off the pads of goaltender Anton Khudobin. Marty Havlat one-timed the rebound inside the left post for his fifth goal of the season at 13:05.
Brett Burns, held without a goal for 19 games, gave San Jose a 2-1 advantage at the 19:32 mark. Raffi Torres, in control behind the Hurricane net, slipped the puck to Burns in the low slot for the go-ahead score.
Lindholm, Carolina’s 19-year-old rookie, came up with the equalizer 4:16 into the second. Captain Eric Staal directed the puck from the backboards to an advancing Lindholm in the slot for the shot past Stalock.