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National Hockey League
Arizona 5, San Jose 4
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, May 8, 2021
Where: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
Referees: Kyle Rehman, Justin St. Pierre
Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Bevan Mills
Attendance: 1249

Phil Kessel scored the game-winning goal 2:30 into overtime to lift the Arizona Coyotes over the host San Jose Sharks 5-4.

In a 3-3 game and with the Sharks were outshooting the Coyotes 43-28 late in the third period, Arizona's Conor Garland powered past Erik Karlsson and Nikolai Knyzhov to beat netminder Alexei Melnichuk, who was making his first NHL start, at the 16:07 mark.

However, Alexander Barabanov buried the tying goal with 49 seconds left in regulation.

Christian Dvorak scored twice for the Coyotes (24-26-6, 54 points) and Jan Jenik scored his second NHL goal in his second game. Kessel and Christian Fischer each had two assists, and Adin Hill made 44 saves.

Rudolfs Balcers, Kevin Labanc and Timo Meier all found the back of the net for the Sharks (21-27-7, 49 points). Melnichuk made 27 saves.

Both teams were playing down one skater in the first period after a scuffle between Arizona's Jakob Chychrun and San Jose's Jeffrey Viel. In a four-on-four, Dvorak easily skated around multiple Sharks to beat Melnichuk up high and put the Coyotes on the board at 3:32 in the opening frame.

Balcers got a hold of a bouncing puck right in front of the net to bury the puck five hole and tie the game 1-1 at 6:44.

There was a second tussle between Viel and Chychrun in the period that led to Viel heading to the dressing room and Arizona going on the power play. Dvorak quickly scored again, putting the Coyotes back on top with 8:24 left in the first.

Karlsson set Labanc up with less than five minutes left in the first period for a sniper shot that eluded Hill and tied the game 2-2 before the first intermission.

Both teams had grade-A chances in the first five minutes of the second period, but Meier was the first to convert. He used a power move around Arizona's defense to wrap the puck around Hill and put San Jose on top 3-2 at the 5:26 mark.

Jenik tied the game again 54 second later to make it 3-3 with 13:40 left in the second frame.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Arizona   San Jose
Phil Kessel 3 Points Kevin Labanc 2
Christian Dvorak 2 Goals Kevin Labanc 1
Phil Kessel 2 Assists Kevin Labanc 1
Christian Dvorak 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Adin Hill .917 Save Percentage Alexei Melnichuk .844
Adin Hill 44 Saves Alexei Melnichuk 27
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Arizona 32 5 1-2 2-2 6 33
San Jose 48 4 0-2 1-2 6 31
Upcoming Games
  • San Jose will play their next game at home against Vegas. The Sharks have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .394 after a loss.