Late-night hockey after dark is always interesting.
Alexander Wennberg's overtime game-winner lifted the San Jose Sharks over the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Tuesday night at SAP Center.
Can't Overcome Vanecek
A second-period Sharks goal was waived off due to a challenge by the Blue Jackets for goaltender interference. There were seven power-play opportunities between the clubs with the Blue Jackets 0-for-3 and the Sharks 0-for-4.
The Blue Jackets had 50 shots on goal.
Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek is playing his first season in the Bay Area after entering the league with the Washington Capitals and spending the last two seasons with the New Jersey Devils. He was traded to the Sharks in March and spent the remaining portion of the 2023-24 season on injured reserve.
In his career against the Blue Jackets, he's 7-0-0 in seven starts with a .950 save percentage and 1.55 goals against average. His 49-save performance on Tuesday is a new career high.
Justin Danforth and Damon Severson co-led the game with six shots on goal. Zach Werenski played 31:26.
Marchenko Breaks Shutout
Columbus was pouring it on Vanacek and the Sharks in the third period when Kirill Marchenko scored his fifth goal of the season to tie the game 1-1 on the Jackets’ 45th shot of the game. The goal was his first in five games and he has a team-leading 13 points.
Kirill Marchenko knots it up at one!#CBJ | @BlueJacketsNHL pic.twitter.com/t2lInvO372
— FanDuel Sports Network Columbus (@FanDuelSN_CBUS) November 6, 2024
The Jackets secured their 11th all-time 50-plus shot-on-goal performance.
The 51 shots on goal tie for the eighth-most for the #CBJ in a game, but the Jackets will leave with just the one point. Now 5-5-2.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 6, 2024
San Jose gets a late goal in the second period to take a 1-0 lead over the #CBJ through two periods.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 6, 2024
Blue Jackets are yet to be shutout this season and have scored at least twice in all but one game (a 3-1 loss to Minnesota on October 19th).
Kevin Labanc returned to San Jose after eight seasons with the Sharks.
Kevin Labanc gets a tribute video and a nice welcome pic.twitter.com/h9tZCp2G9q
— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) November 6, 2024
Elvis Merzlikins made 25 saves.
Wennberg Wins It
Wennberg's goal at 3:11 of the overtime was the difference to help the Sharks over his former team.
THE FORMER BLUE JACKET BEATS THEM IN OT
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 6, 2024
Alex Wennberg weaves through all three Columbus players and buries a gem to send the Sharks fans home happy pic.twitter.com/RuSzGHXCLr
Fabian Zetterlund had the primary assist and Vanecek had an assist. Wennberg's goal is his second overtime winner this season. He has three goals in his past five games.
This game also featured Jack Thompson's first career NHL goal at 18:49 of the second period to give San Jose the 1-0 lead.
Jack Thompson finishes a beauty passing play for his first NHL goal! pic.twitter.com/OIvVTon61e
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 6, 2024
Will Smith, the 2023 fourth overall pick earned his first career assist on the play and third career point. Zetterlund had the secondary assist.
Thompson, the 22-year-old defenseman, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and was part of the trade that sent former Blue Jacket Anthony Duclair to the Lightning in March. Tuesday was his 10th career game.
Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 first-overall pick, played his second career game after sustaining a hip injury in his first career game of the season opener.
Weekend Back-To-Back
The Blue Jackets begin the first of a back-to-back when they battle the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Columbus will take on the Anaheim Ducks from Honda Center on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
