Karlsson scores in overtime, Sharks stay strong on road
Sharks winger Timo Meier avoided what could have been a serious injury Thursday night as his leg collided with that of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech midway through the third period.
Meier, though, stayed in the game and made a key play to help the Sharks pick up another victory away from home.
Erik Karlsson scored at the 39-second mark of overtime off an assist from Meier to give the Sharks a 2-1 victory over the Islanders in their first visit to UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y.
Karlsson and Meier went in on a 2-on-1 into the Islanders’ zone. Karlsson made an initial saucer pass to Meier, who had the puck go off his stick and into behind the Islanders net. But he fed it back to Karlsson, who beat Ilya Sorokin for his fifth goal of the season as the Sharks improved to 3-0-0 on this five-game road trip.
Meier also assisted on Nick Bonino’s first-period goal and now has nine points in his last five games.
“It was scary actually, seeing Timo down,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. “We can’t afford to lose a guy like that and thank
god he was OK.
“He came back and made a great play on the overtime winner, so we sort of breathed a sigh of relief there and get away with one.”
Sharks goalie Adin Hill made 23 saves in regulation time as he made his first start since Nov. 20 and won his first game since Nov. 9 in Calgary.
New York opened the scoring just 64 seconds into the first period on a goal by Mat Barzal, who beat Hill high blocker side with a shot from the faceoff dot to the left of the Sharks’ net.
The Sharks (13-9-1) got that goal back with 10:50 to go in the first, as Bonino scored his third in five games off a pretty pass from Jonathan Dahlen just after a goaltender interference call on Jean-Gabriel Pageau had expired.