Photo credit: @NYSportsNews365

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Sharks fell to the visiting New York Rangers 4-3 in a shootout Tuesday night, but in many ways they should feel fortunate to walk away with even the loser point. Tomas Hertl with less than two seconds left and the Sharks’ net empty to tie the game at 3-3. Chris Kreider scored twice for the Rangers and Mats Zuccarello netted a goal for the Blue shirts. Timo Meier scored his team-best ninth goal of the year for the Sharks and Brent Burns scored his third of the year.

San Jose now moves into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with Calgary, each team boasting 15 points–though, the Sharks have a game in hand. The Rangers pick up a fourth win in their 12th game of what looks like it will be a long season.

Burns opened the scoring just 3:22 into play, beating Henrik Lundqvist for a 1-0 Sharks lead. That’d be the last thing to go right for the Sharks in the first after Zuccarello found the equalizer a minute later. New York outshot San Jose 17-6 in the period.

The otherwise lifeless Sharks picked up the pace in the second, peppering Lundqvist with 14 shots to just six on their keeper Martin Jones, but neither team could break the stalemate. Kreider opened the third with his fifth goal of the season one-timer just 1:13 into the period before Meier stepped up.

The power forward continued his breakout year coming in on a 2-on-1 8:14 into the third. Instead of passing the puck, Meier ripped a lethal snipe to tie the game. Kreider would again provide a dagger with 9:55 left in the period. Hertl beat lundvist with Jones pulled to tie the game at three-all with just 1.6 seconds left in regulation.

In the shootout both goalies stood tall. Jones, after making 34 saves in regulation and overtime, stopped all but one of the shooters he faced. Kevin Shattenkirk was the lone man to beat him, but Hank was also up to the challenge and didn’t let up a single shootout goal after making 31 saves over regulation and overtime.

The Sharks continue a three-game homestand, taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday night before welcoming in another Eastern Conference foe, the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night.