The San Jose Sharks beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Thursday at SAP Center, scoring three goals in a span of 2 minutes, 50 seconds in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit. Will Smith scored twice during the burst, finishing with a team-high two goals and two points.
Vancouver led 2-0 after goals from Drew O’Connor in the first period and Liam Ohgren in the second, but the Canucks were outscored 3-0 in the final frame. Mason Marchment scored the go-ahead goal just 11 seconds after Smith’s second tally, and goaltender Yaroslav Askarov held off Vancouver the rest of the way to preserve the win.
Key Moments: How The Sharks Rallied
Vancouver controlled much of the first two periods. Drew O’Connor opened the scoring at 13:21 of the first period on a wrist shot assisted by Elias Pettersson, and Liam Ohgren made it 2-0 at 18:56 of the second period off a Filip Hronek assist.
San Jose answered with a flurry in the third period. Will Smith cut the deficit to 2-1 at 8:00, scoring off assists from Dmitry Orlov and Marchment. Less than three minutes later, at 10:39, Smith struck again on a feed from Macklin Celebrini and Michael Kesselring to tie it at 2-2. Marchment put the Sharks ahead for good just 11 seconds after that, at 10:50, with Kiefer Sherwood and Nolan Allan drawing assists.
Top Performers
Will Smith led all skaters with two goals and two points on the night. Mason Marchment recorded a goal and an assist. Macklin Celebrini had an assist and led San Jose with six shots on goal, part of a Sharks attack that totaled 24 shots as a team.
Yaroslav Askarov stopped 23 of 25 shots for San Jose, a .920 save percentage. Vancouver’s Leevi Merilainen made 21 saves on 24 shots for a .875 save percentage, allowing all three San Jose goals in the third period. Drew O’Connor led Vancouver with a goal and a point, and Filip Hronek added an assist on Ohgren’s goal.
What It Means
San Jose improved to 7-6-1 and now leads the season series 1-0. The Sharks sit fourth in the Pacific Division with 15 points. Vancouver fell to 3-11-1, last in the Pacific with seven points.
San Jose’s third-period surge showcased its young core of Smith, Celebrini and Marchment.
What’s Next
San Jose will seek to build on its third-period rally. Vancouver looks for its first win of November.
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