SAN JOSE
– Joe Thornton scored 3:03 into overtime to give the San Jose
Sharks a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes in front of 15,843
NHL fans at HP Pavilion.
SAN JOSE – Joe Thornton scored 3:03 into overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes in front of 15,843 NHL fans at HP Pavilion.
The Sharks have two games left in pre-season play, both on the road. San Jose visits Vancouver Thursday, then squares off with the Los Angeles Kings in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
Taking a 1-3 mark into Tuesday’s action, San Jose never led in regulation.
The Coyotes took a 2-0 lead through one period, then came into the third period on top 2-1. San Jose was able to pull even twice in the third period to force overtime.
Thornton earned an assist on each of the Sharks’ two goals in the third period.
Thornton passed the puck to linemate Devin Setoguchi behind the left Phoenix post early in the period. Setoguchi tried to stuff the puck past goalie Al Montoya, but the rebound slid into the low slot. Patrick Marleau secured the puck and backhanded it over Montoya at the 1:35 mark for a 2-2 score.
The Coyotes turned a San Jose defensive zone turnover into a 3-2 advantage when Derek Morris’s slapshot from the blueline banked off the leg of Garth Murray and past Shark goalie Evgeni Nabokov at 10:24.
San Jose needed 73 seconds to create another tie. Thornton’s feed to Setoguchi at the left post turned into a quick wrap-around that beat Montoya to the post at 11:37.
Thornton, paired with Marleau in the 4-on-4 overtime, slowed at the Phoenix blueline to allow Marleau to go toward the net. Thornton then skated along the top of the slot before sending a hard shot into the top right corner of the net.
Despite being outshot 12-6, Phoenix did all the scoring in the first period. Alex Bourret turned an Olli Jokinen feed into a crisp one-timer into an open net at the 5:41 mark. Jokinen then turned a 2-on-1 rush during a 3-on-3 situation into a 2-0 cushion when the center snapped a 20-footer over Nabokov’s shoulder at 16:59.
San Jose cut the deficit in half at 2:39 of the second period when Tomas Plihal redirected a Jeremy Roenick feed past Montoya to make it 2-1. Thornton also assisted on the goal, beginning his four-point night.
Coach Todd McLellan inserted Setoguchi on the first line along with Thornton and Marleau, taking Ryane Clowe’s position. The line combined for eight points.
“It paid off for everybody,” said McLellan. “For Joe and Patty, they had better games. Devin had a tremendous night. He really bought an element of speed to that line.
I’m happy with the type of game we played, but we’re well aware it’s going to get tougher as time goes by.”
