Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks twitter

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ San Jose switched the storyline on the Oilers and rookie goalie Laurent Brossoit with a 3-1 comeback win Thursday.

It was a much different game than the teams’ last game, which had goals in all but one-half period. However, it was another close game like the 13-round shootout.

The Sharks were only down one goal, but that was looking like enough for Edmonton to win, with the way Brossoit guarded the net in his first NHL game. Brossoit stopped 42 shots before one got past him, ending up with a total of 49 saves, an Oiler goalie debut record.

29-year-old Bryan Lerg for San Jose also had a game to remember. He got knocked up and had the game-winning goal in his first NHL game with eight shots on net being a record for a debut.

The knock up began when two of the first-time NHL players were involved in a five-minute incident. At 2:08, Curtis Hamilton got Lerg from behind on his first shift and Lerg’s head hit the boards. Hamilton got five-minutes for boarding.

It was not a very fruitful ensuing power play for the Sharks, even in terms of attempts.

In the first period, San Jose outshot Edmonton 19-7 and the Oilers blocked 13 to three Sharks’ shots.

San Jose held Edmonton without a shot on goal during their power play in the second period starting at 4:34.

The game’s deadlock finally broke at 12:30. On one end of the ice, Brossoit denied Tomas Hertl on a one-one-one five-hole attempt. Then on the other end, Nail Yakupov scored unassisted.

The Sharks had a rare 3-on-1 opportunity with about four minutes left in the period.

With Hertl’s second shot of the game, he hit the post with less than a minute left in the second.

In the third for San Jose, a 2-on-1 became a Joe Thornton 1-on-1 with 10:01 left in the third period. Thornton was denied.

Just over 30 seconds later though, Patrick Marleau broke the deadlock against Brossoit unassisted.

At 17:08, Lerg had a big smile as he scored, aided by Logan Couture and Taylor Fedun.

Matt Nieto ensured success for San Jose with an empty netter with 29 seconds left in the game. Nieto was helped by Tommy Wingels and Chris Tierney. With Tierney’s assist, he extended his point streak to five games.

The Sharks outshot the Oilers 19-6 in the third.

Game notes: San Jose won for the first time this season at Rexall Place as they clinched the season series. The Sharks’ John Scott played in place of Mike Brown. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did not play for Edmonton. Hamilton ended with four hits and a blocked shot. San Jose will next try to avenge their Outdoor Game loss against the Kings, in the teams’ season finale Saturday at 12pm.