Rangers give up two-goal lead in third, lose to Sharks in overtime
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin deflects a Sharks shot during the first period of an NHL game Tuesday in San Jose, Calif. Credit: AP/Godofredo A. Vásquez
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A West Coast road trip that started off on a sour note, with two straight losses, ended in the worst way for the Rangers late Tuesday, as they found a way to lose a game they’d appeared to have in the bag, blowing a two-goal, third-period lead and falling to the Sharks, the team with the worst record in the NHL, 3-2, at SAP Center.
“We made mistakes in the third period, and it cost us,’’ grim-looking Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “They were able to tie it up, and pushed it to overtime, and that's disappointing … We were in a position to win the game in the third, and we didn't get it done.’’
Tomas Hertl scored 1:29 into overtime, as David Quinn’s Sharks, who had beaten the Kings in a shootout in Los Angeles on Monday, scored three unanswered goals to stun the Rangers and send them home with a 1-2-1 record on the trip.
“They just seemed to want it a little more,’’ Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “A 2-0 lead there … you’ve got to be able to just close it out. And we didn't do that there.’’
Goals by Fox in the first period and Artemi Panarin in the second appeared to have the Rangers (29-15-3) in control of the game going into the third. But a giveaway by Erik Gustafsson behind his own net led to the Sharks (13-31-4) getting on the board on a goal by Nico Sturm at 2:19 of the third, and things turned there.
Gustafsson tried to reverse a pass off the boards to his defense partner, Braden Schneider. But the puck took a funky bounce, and went directly to Sturm, who quickly put it in behind Igor Shesterkin (19 saves) for his third goal of the season.
“It's a good play,’’ Laviolette said of the decision by Gustafsson to reverse the puck. “It's got to be executed. Gus is a good player, somebody we count on. And it was a just a tough bounce for him.’’
Then, ex-Ranger Ryan Carpenter tied the score at 4:27 with his third goal of the season — and second in two games against the Rangers — when he tipped in a shot by Jan Rutta from the slot.
The Rangers had an opportunity to win it late in regulation, when they were given a power play with 5:54 remaining, after San Jose’s Calen Addison was sent off for crosschecking Jimmy Vesey. But they failed to capitalize.
“That was our opportunity tonight, and we weren't able to put the puck in the net,’’ Vincent Trocheck said. “I think we had some opportunities, but I think we needed to keep it a little bit more simple. I thought we were getting a little too cute at times. Obviously, tie game, five minutes left, you really want to make that difference. You want to be the guys to score. You want to put us up late.’’
On the winning goal, Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad appeared to be run into away from the play by Rutta, knocking him down and taking him out of the play. A helpless Zibanejad looked to the referee for a penalty call, but none came, and Rutta was able to take a pass from Alexander Barabanov and relay it to Hertl at the back post. Shesterkin had no chance to get across in time to make a save.
Laviolette wasn’t happy with the non-call.
“There's two ‘picks’ out there that should have been called,’’ a seething Laviolette said. “We shouldn't be in that position. We should have been better in the third period. But then, the calls that have to be made in the third [and overtime] need to be made.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
