@SanJoseSharks photo: The San Jose Sharks kept Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) busy all night long at SAP Center in San Jose

By Jerry Feitelberg

A late goal from Barclay Goodrow proved the difference-maker for the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center Tuesday night, with team Teal beating the Minnesota Wild 4-3 after blowing a 3-1 lead. Two’s were wild for San Jose with four different players scoring their 2nd goals of the young season. A newly-formed third line of Joe Thornton, Barclay Goodrow and Marcus Sorensen combined for six points in the win.

With Tomas Hertl out of the lineup, the Sharks (8-4-3) needed some of their depth players on the lower lines to step up and start contributing. Tuesday they did just that, starting with Marcus Sorensen. Sorensen netted the first goal of the contest just under five minutes into play after Brent Burns’ masterful pass left Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk out of position. Sorensen tapped the puck into the empty net for the 1-0 lead. Burns’ assist was his 400th career point as a Shark.

Thornton continued his hot streak in the second period, netting his second goal in as many games since returning to the lineup after his knee infection kept him sidelined for most of the year. The goal was originally credited to Sorensen, who fired a perfect shot, but review showed that it glanced off Thornton’s shoulder and in for a 2-0 lead 5:36 into the second period.

The goal was Thornton’s 399th of his career on a night in which he tied American hockey legend Mike Modano for 19th all-time in games played with 1499. This was one of the first times since joining the Sharks that Thornton didn’t appear in the team’s top six forwards, instead centering the third line between Sorensen and Goodrow, who each assisted on Thornton’s goal.

Zach Parise scored with 7:04 left in the middle period before Antti Suomela added to the Sharks lead with just under three minutes left in the period. Sorensen picked up his third point of the game, assisting on Suomela’s tally.

The Wild answered back with a ferocious start to the final frame, scoring two goals in the first 4 minutes, with Jared Spurgeon and Matt Dumba beating Martin Jones to tie the game 3-3.

Goodrow scored the winning goal on the Sharks second strike, thanks to traffic in front of Dubnyk. Burns kept the puck in at the blue line and fired it on net, with Goodrow grazing the grease and tipping the puck past Dubnyk for a 4-3 lead 7:25 into the third.

Martin Jones would hold on to the lead in the Sharks net making 23 saves in total. San Jose didn’t go on the power play, but killed three Minnesota power plays. Dubnyk made just 18 saves in the loss. Eric Staal missed the game for the Wild (8-4-2) due to illness, ending his iron man streak at 330 straight games.

The Sharks head to Dallas to take on the Stars on Thursday, November 8 at 5:30 pm PT.