Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano rally Ducks past Sharks in OT
Terry ties the score with 1:01 remaining in regulation and assists on Vatrano’s goal with 52 seconds left in overtime, as the Ducks head into the All-Star break with their third win in four games, 3-2
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, left, celebrates his game-winning overtime goal with center Mason McTavish in their 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, stops a shot by San Jose Sharks center Nico Sturm during the second period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks center Bo Groulx, center, tries to get a shot past San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, right, as defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk defends during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg, right, falls as San Jose Sharks defenseman Calen Addison takes the puck during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture, right, tries to redirect a shot as Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, left, and goaltender John Gibson defend during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, left, and San Jose Sharks defenseman Calen Addison vie for the puck during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger skates the puck during the first period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, center, scores past San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, lower left, as left wing Anthony Duclair, third from right, defends during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, left, celebrates his goal with defenseman Urho Vaakanainen during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Ducks’ Isac Lundestrom celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, left, deflects a shot as Ducks center Sam Carrick, center, and defenseman Jan Rutta watch during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks left wing Ross Johnston, right, falls while under pressure from San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger skates up the ice during the first period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks goaltender John Gibson reaches to stop a shot during the first period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Jose Sharks’ Luke Kunin (11) celebrates a goal against Ducks goaltender John Gibson during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Jose Sharks left wing Anthony Duclair, second from left, celebrates his goal with center Mike Hoffman, left, defenseman Jacob MacDonald, second from right, and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin during the first period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Jose Sharks defenseman Calen Addison, right, takes the puck as Ducks center Isac Lundestrom slides into the boards during the first period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender John Gibson defends his net during the first period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture skates the puck during the first period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger, left, and San Jose Sharks center Luke Kunin battle for the puck during the second period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Ducks’ Ryan Strome chases after the puck as the San Jose Sharks’ Logan Couture tries to get turned around during the second period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, right, celebrates his goal with left wing William Eklund during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Ducks’ Ross Johnston, center, waits for a possible rebound during the second period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen looks down the ice during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Ducks’ Sam Carrick, right, skates the puck against the San Jose Sharks’ Kyle Burroughs during the second period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger looks on during the second period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Jose Sharks’ Ryan Carpenter reaches for the puck during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen makes a save during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks center Isac Lundestrom, left, goes after the puck along with San Jose Sharks left wing Fabian Zetterlund during the third period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, right, stops a shot as Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe reaches in during the third period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Jose Sharks defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk is helped off the ice by a referee after being injured during the third period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender John Gibson watches the puck fly by during the third period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen keeps his eyes on a rebound during the third period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Jose Sharks right wing Justin Bailey, left, falls as he vies for the puck with Ducks center Mason McTavish during the third period on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender John Gibson signals to his bench just before getting pulled for an extra attacker late in the third period of their game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Troy Terry, right, scores a goal past San Jose Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, second from left, and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, left, to tie the score with 61 seconds left in regulation on Wednesday night at Honda Center. The Ducks went on to win, 3-2, in overtime. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, left, tosses his stick into the crowd after scoring the game-winning goal as San Jose Sharks left wing Anthony Duclair skates away during overtime on Wednesday night at Honda Center. The Ducks won, 3-2. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, left, celebrates his game-winning overtime goal with center Mason McTavish in their 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, left, celebrates his game-winning overtime goal with center Mason McTavish in their 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks players celebrate after they rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — The NHL All-Star break is coming at an inopportune time for the Ducks.
They’re hot.
After taking three of four possible points in a pair of recent road games, the Ducks returned to Honda Center on Wednesday night, securing their NHL-best ninth third-period comeback by defeating the San Jose Sharks, 3-2 in overtime.
“I want to continue what we’ve done [after the break],” said Ducks head coach Greg Cronin, whose team is 3-0-1 in the past four games, with points in six of their last seven. “I’m really happy with the way we played the last six games or so, so we have to continue to play that direction.”
The contest between the bottom teams in the Pacific Division was tight as they alternated goals until 2024 All-Star Frank Vatrano scored with 53 seconds left in the 5-minute overtime, his team-best 22nd goal of the season.
“I think it was a great team effort the whole game,” Vatrano said before heading to Toronto on what should be a joyous red-eye flight for the 29-year-old Massachusetts native. “So it’s good going to break on that note.”
Vatrano put a wrist shot past San Jose goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen for the winner, but what made him happiest was that it broke a personal six-game drought.
“It’s good, it’s been a while,” said Vatrano, who is second on the team with 36 points. “When you grip your stick a little higher you’re not scoring, so it’s good to see one go in.”
Troy Terry, who extended his points streak to six games, tied it with 1:01 remaining in regulation and assisted on Vatrano’s game-winning goal.
With the goalie pulled, Terry beat Kahkonen with a wrist shot with plenty of traffic around the net for his 15th goal of the season. Terry, who has four goals and 10 points in the past six games, has a team-high 37 points.
“He’s been the heart and soul of this team. Every single game he is the hardest-working guy,” Terry said of Vatrano. “I didn’t realize he had not scored in a while, at least by his standards. So just to be able to get that and now he gets to go have the experience of a lifetime that he deserves.”
Isac Lundestrom also scored for the Ducks and John Gibson made 26 saves. Adam Henrique also extended his points streak to six games with an assist on Terry’s goal.
The Ducks nearly grabbed an early lead in the opening minute of the game when rookie defenseman Olen Zellweger banged a shot off the piping.
For the next five minutes, the Ducks (18-30-2, 38 points) kept a dangerous edge about them by pushing the action and creating several quality chances against the Sharks (14-32-5, 33 points), who entered the game feeling good about themselves after beating the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday in San Jose.
At 2:12, Ducks winger Lundestrom netted his second goal of the season, cleaning up a rebound in front of Kahkonen to make it 1-0.
The strong start gave way when a tripping penalty on Brett Leason at 5:44 gave the Sharks an opportunity to collect themselves and step into the game.
San Jose forward Anthony Duclair’s ninth goal, thanks in part to the first NHL point from defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, cashed in the power-play chance at 6:59.
Both teams asserted themselves with stretches of sustained action in the opposing zone. By the end of the first period, after each side had two tries with a man advantage, the score remained unchanged.
The stalemate held until 17:57 of the middle frame.
San Jose snatched a 2-1 lead on a Marc-Edouard Vlasic slapshot from the blue line that flew end-over-end through traffic, beating Gibson on his stick side. The Canadian defenseman’s five goals have all come in the last nine games.
“I was begging them after two periods to shoot,” Cronin said.
Needing another third-period comeback to head into the All-Star break in good form, the Ducks peppered San Jose with 15 shots and held a near 2:1 possession advantage in the offensive zone.
Kahkonen stood firm until the end, saving 31 shots, including all seven against the Ducks’ power play. The visitors also blocked 27 shots, adding to the sense in the building that possession might not amount to much.
“We had the puck an awful lot,” Cronin said. “It was one of those games. You don’t get quality chances. You’re not getting goals. And you can feel a little frustration on the bench.”
The Ducks found the equalizer after Gibson skated to the bench, Terry scoring thanks to Leo Carlsson’s 11th assist and Henrique’s 18th.
Terry then set up Vatrano, sliding the puck under a defender’s stick, for the game-winner.
“Obviously, it’s great timing. It’s funny, before overtime started, I was thinking, ‘When was the last time Frankie scored a goal?’ I couldn’t recall. He had scored so many early,” Cronin said. “When I saw him racing down the ice and Troy had the puck, everybody stood up, so I couldn’t actually see the puck but I had a good feeling it was going to go in.”
