~ Photo credit: NHL.com

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

The San Jose Sharks endured being outshot 7-0 when they were outnumbered in overtime until the Detroit Red Wings were victorious in the seven-round shootout 2-1 at Little Caesars Arena Wednesday.

After the second of a back-to-back, the Sharks now have a season-high four-game losing streak, but it could be worse (0-2-2).

It was the first time these two teams met this season and the Sharks’ first visit to the Little Caesar Arena.

The last time the Sharks scored only one goal was January 7.

San Jose’s Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture scored the first two goals in the shootout and then Detroit followed suit with two goals of their own by Gustav Nyquist and Andreas Athanasiou. Athanasiou’s goal held the same in a 2-2 deadlock until Chris Tierney scored in the sixth round. Tomas Tatar then scored, Tomas Hertl missed and Justin Abdelkader finished the game.  

Kevin Labanc scored in his 100th game and Trevor Daley scored for the Red Wings in his first game back from a lower-body injury.

Sharks’ goalie Martin Jones now has a three-game losing streak, but it was his best save percentage since December 23 as he faced a season-high 44 shots. NHL statistician Darin Stephens noted Jones’ 43 saves were the most by a San Jose goalie in a loss of any kind since Antti Niemi’s same 43 on Oct. 30, 2014. Jones was also playing the second of a back-to-back.  

Both teams each had scoreless power plays in each of the first two periods.

Sharks’ Brent Burns passed to Hertl in the first on a 2-on-1. Unfortunately, Hertl was without a stick as it had been kicked away by a defender swooping in to stop the play. Jones made a second save using his glove with 2:33 left in the second. Vlasic also prevented a power play goal with 24 seconds left.

Both goals came in the third.

Logan Couture reportedly tripped. Once Couture got back up, Daley took the pass from Frans Nielsen and trickled the puck past Jones on a one-on-one to break the stalemate at 6:48.

The Sharks matched Detroit at 15:01 in a mock power play since Danny DeKeyser was without his stick. Brenden Dillon passed near the stick to Labanc, who moved near the stick to make it from the high slot. Hertl also earned an assist.

Vlasic could have drawn a hooking penalty in overtime, but it was not called. The Red Wings had three shots before Burns was called for hooking with 2:43 left. If not for the hook though, the speedy Dylan Larkin might have scored. Jones fought off for more shots during the 4-on-3.

Game notes: Burns had a season-high nine shots on goal. San Jose was outhit 32-19 and had 16 giveaways as opposed to Detroit’s five.

Up next: The Sharks aim to win without Joe Thornton on their third game of their road trip Friday, facing the Colombus Blue Jackets at 4 pm PT.