Askarov stops 39, and the Sharks finally win in regulation
San Jose beat Ottawa 6-2 for its first regulation win of the season. Linus Ullmark was already on injured reserve.
NHL wire ·
| 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose Sharks | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Ottawa Senators | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
The Sharks had been collecting points in extra time. Thursday in Ottawa was the first time this season they won a game in 60 minutes. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 39 shots. San Jose won 6-2. Colin Graf had a goal and an assist. Nolan Allan, Tyler Toffoli, Jacob Trouba, Zack Ostapchuk and Ivar Stenberg scored the rest. The Sharks are 6-4-1, and the record finally includes a regulation win.
Ottawa was without Linus Ullmark, placed on injured reserve Thursday after a lower-body injury a night earlier. Samuel Ersson made 23 saves in his place. Tim Stutzle and Jordan Spence scored. Spence's goal at 6:24 of the third made it a two-goal game and gave the building a reason to stay. Then the Senators pulled Ersson on a power play inside the last four minutes, Zack Ostapchuk scored into the empty net off a giveaway, and Stenberg added another.
A first regulation win does not make a season. It does change the sentence people use about you. San Jose is no longer a team that only wins when the clock runs out.