Hertl gets hat trick, Eklund scores in OT to lift Sharks to dramatic 5-4 win over Islanders

By SCOTT CHARLES
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — William Eklund scored in the closing seconds of overtime, Tomas Hertl had a hat trick and the San Jose Sharks erased a three-goal, third-period deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Kevin Labanc also scored and Kaapo Kahkonen made 33 saves for the Sharks.

“We never quit, we stuck with it and just put ourselves in a position to have a chance,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “We didn’t get cute on the six-on-five. It was real simple, quick puck movement, shooting pucks, retrieving them. … We made hockey plays. Early on in the season we weren’t making them but we are making a lot more of them now.”

Julien Gauthier, Brock Nelson, Mike Reilly and Ryan Pulock scored for the Islanders, who began a six-game homestand with a loss. Simon Holmstrom and Bo Horvat each added two assists and Ilya Sorokin finished with 27 saves.

Mikael Granlund set up Eklund for a one-time shot with 5 seconds to play in the three-on-three overtime period.

“Its just bad, it’s really bad,” Islanders captain Anders Lee said after the Islanders surrendered a third-period lead for the 10th time this season. “Unfortunately, we played a really good hockey game and messed it all up in the last four minutes.”

Hertl recorded the equalizer and completed his sixth career hat trick at 18:30 to even the score at 4-4. He buried a rebound 1:49 prior to the tying goal to pull the Sharks to within one.

Labanc redirected Nikita Okhotiuk’s shot from the point to pull the Sharks within two goals at 11:55 of the third period.

“Throughout the whole game we were in on the forecheck, we just kept giving it to them and we didn’t change our game,” Labanc said. “One chance leads to two chances and then those lead to scoring opportunities and those lead to goals.”

New York scored two goals on special teams within a 3:10 stretch in the third period to expand its lead to three goals.

Reilly’s short-handed goal at 5:17 of the third gave the Islanders a 3-1 edge. Holmstrom set up Reilly in the high slot and collected his second assist of the game.

Pulock connected on a one-timer on the power play at 8:27 and gave New York a 4-1 lead. Jean-Gabriel Pageau picked up his 300th career point with an assist on the goal.

Nelson scored his team-leading 11th goal to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 5:27 of the second period. Defenseman Noah Dobson and Horvat assisted.

Gauthier opened the scoring at 9:26 of the first period when he fired a wrist shot past the glove of Kahkonen. Holmstrom earned his first assist of the season.

Hertl evened the score at 1-1 by beating Sorokin with a wrist shot on the glove side. Anthony Duclair drove to the net, collected his own rebound and found Hertl all alone in the slot at 12:19 of the first period.

“He’s really important for me,” Eklund said of Hertl. “He’s always talking on the bench, always commenting with tips and tricks, something I really appreciate from him. Always looking to see what we can do better. Obviously for the team, scoring a hat trick today, and being the leader he is, it’s huge for us.”

UP NEXT:

Sharks: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

Islanders: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

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