~Photo credit: (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ The Calgary Flames burned strong against San Jose Sharks Monday, sending the game to overtime, but fell in the end, 2-1.

Sharks’ goalie Martin Jones had a career-high 47 saves, as he faced seven power plays. This performance came after a one-game hiatus. Before that, Jones had been in net for 10 straight games.

San Jose’s seven penalties equaled the amount they had last game against the Canucks on Saturday, but the difference was Jones.

In fact, the Sharks had more penalties by the end of the first against Calgary, then against Vancouver, but San Jose emerged with the lead as well.

Early goals ended up paying off for the Sharks in the game.

The first came at 1:56 of the game, as Brent Burns became the first defenseman in franchise history to have a four game goal streak. That was the first part of the Gordie Howe hat trick, which Burns got a day before his birthday.

During San Jose’s first penalty, Jones stopped Sean Monahan twice.

Jones was able to replicate his save success when the Sharks had two more penalties in the first period, causing a 5-on-3 for about 30 seconds.

The Flames’ Garnet Hathaway drew three of the first four penalties, and soon became involved in another one.

After drawing a hi sticking penalty from Burns, Hathaway got two minutes for instigating a fight and a 10 minute misconduct.  Besides an additional fighting penalty for both, Burns got a double minor for drawing blood. This was the second part of the Gordie Howe hat trick for Burns.

8 seconds after Calgary’s fifth power play expired, Flames goalie Joni Ortio got his first save in just a little bit more than a period’s worth of time. Ortio emulated Jones to stop Nieto at 10:11 of the second.

Calgary peppered Jones with 18 shots in the period. In contrast, San Jose only tested Ortio four times.

The Flames did not let up on Jones at all, adding an additional 18 shots in the third. Their persistence paid off with a 6-on-4 power play goal by Joe Colborne and Mark Giordano at 18:38, to earn a point. The power play was created by the lightest of the penalties of the night, a delay of game call and with an extra attacker seconds before the goal.

Overtime then ended as quickly as it started. 19 seconds in, Joe Pavelski scored his sixth on the road and ninth this season, game winning goal, to lead the NHL, according to Bret Hedican. Surprisingly, according to Darin Stephens @SharksStats, it was Pavelski’s first career overtime goal in the regular season. Pavelski was aided by Burns and Joe Thornton, the finale of the Gordie Howe hat trick for Burns. San Jose is now 15-0-0 with such a player accomplishment, Stephens mentioned.

Game notes: Burns now has eight total points in four straight games. Dougie Hamilton led with a game-high and at least a season-high eight shots. The Sharks will play the second of back-to-back games against the Oilers, Tuesday at 6pm.