Achi news desk-
SAN JOSE –
Andrei Kuzmenko scored a power play goal 2:58 into overtime and the Calgary Flames came back to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Kuzmenko scored a scramble in front of the Flames, who had lost three straight and eight of nine. Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri also scored for Calgary, which converted two of its three power play chances.
“We’re scoring goals, and they’re critical goals in these hockey games,” Kadri said. “As a group, I think we pride ourselves on trying to give our group a boost of energy.
“When things don’t go too well, we are accountable together. I think that is important. When you play with confidence, obviously it’s a lot smoother.”
William Eklund and Jacob MacDonald got the goals for San Jose.
Last place Sharks have dropped four from five. San Jose would have the worst record in the NHL and have a 25.5 percent chance of winning the top pick in the draft lottery if Chicago wins in St. Louis on Wednesday.
“We cheated the game,” said Sharks coach David Quinn. “I thought in the second and third, we wanted it to be easy. We were hoping that things were going to happen instead of approaching the game the honest way and the right way.
“I thought we were lucky to get overtime.”
Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, starting against his hometown team, made 20 saves. The 22-year-old Gilroy native had family in attendance, including his grandmother, who was seen playing in the NHL for the first time.
“Coming from a small town, and playing against your hometown team, is something you obviously dream about, and it’s pretty cool,” Wolf said.
Calgary coach Ryan Huska said the Flames knew it was an important night for Wolf.
“I thought when he had to make some saves, he did a good job,” Huska said. “And he looked calm and composed.”
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 38 shots for the Sharks.
Eklund scored on a backhand off a lead pass from Fabian Zetterlund to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead after one period. Eklund, who had a hat trick Saturday, has points in 10 of his last 11 home games.
MacDonald scored early in the second to double San Jose’s lead, but Calgary responded with goals from Andersson to tie it and Kadri on the power play to tie the game going into the third.
Kadri said the Flames had a “below-average first period.”
“For the next 40 (minutes), we dominated,” he said. “I think we deserve that one.”
Sharks forward Filip Zadina missed the game with a lower body injury.
UP NEXT
Flames: Visit the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Sharks: Visit the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
