Timo Meier scored at the 2:19 mark of overtime to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Tuesday in Tampa, Fla.
On a Sharks rush, Meier took a pass from Erik Karlsson and beat Lightning goalie Brian Elliott for his second goal of the game and 30th of the season, as San Jose improved to 4-11 in games this season that have gone past regulation time.
Scott Harrington scored his second goal of the season at the 3:08 mark of the third period, as his slap shot from inside the blue line went off Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and past Elliott to tie the game 3-3.
Karlsson and Meier also scored power-play goals for the Sharks, who were playing their first game since Jan. 28 when they beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-4.
The Sharks allowed a goal to Ross Colton and two to Brayden Point in the first period as they fell into a 3-1 hole against the Lightning, which, before Tuesday, had not lost a game this season when it has owned a lead after 20 minutes.
But after Karlsson’s first-period power-play goal, which came shortly after a Tomas Hertl faceoff win in the Tampa Bay zone, Meier added his own goal on the man advantage with 3:37 left in the second period.
After Hertl won another faceoff in the Lightning’s zone, Meier took a pass from Alexander Barabanov and beat Elliott for his 29th goal of the season.
The Sharks were outshot 17-7 in the first period with goalie Kaapo Kahkonen making 14 saves, including 12 at even strength. But the Sharks allowed just five shots in the second period when they successfully killed three minor penalties.
Kahkonen finished with 34 saves on Tuesday.
The comeback was an unlikely one for the Sharks.
Not only was San Jose 2-20-2 this season in games where it trailed before the third period, but Tampa Bay was riding a 12-game home winning streak. The Lightning was also 20-0-0 in games this season where they led after one period.
The Sharks were coming off a nine-day break. Kahkonen made 37 saves to earn what was just his sixth win this season, and on Tuesday, he won consecutive starts for the first time this season.
