ANAHEIM (AP) — Ricard Raquel had two goals in regulation and scored the winner in a shootout to lead the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 over the skidding San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.
Trevor Zegrass converted in the first round of the shootout, and Anaheim goalkeeper Anthony Stolzer overtook Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl. This put it in the hands of Raquel, who went to the top shelf over James Reimer to give the Ducks their second straight win.
It was Raquel's second multiple-goal game of the season. The Swedish left wing has a three-game point streak (three goals, one assist), and six of their 14 goals have come in the last seven games.
"I think I'm in the right place, but there's a lot of hard work behind it, to get into the scoring zone and get in front of the net," Raquel said. "It hasn't been a pretty goal. It's just me knowing what my game is and now I have to keep doing it at my best."
Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said he could tell early in the game that Raquel was focused and not happy with just one goal.
“He was feeling it. You could see it early,” said Eakins. “After the first meet, he kept shooting the puck. He was really on his game, engaged, and focused. Were. "
The win marked a positive start to Anaheim's six-match home stand. This gave the Ducks 59 points to link them with Edmonton and Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division with two months remaining in the regular season.
Couture had two goals for the Sharks, who have lost seven in a row (0-3-4) and nine out of 10. He has 17 goals this season, including four in the last five matches.
Brent Burns added a goal and two assists, and Timo Meier also had a pair of assists. Reimer scored 26 goals.
San Jose got a rare power play in overtime when Jacob Silfverberg was called for a catch in 28 seconds. But couldn't convert with Shark Man Advantage.
"We had some good looks, but 4-on-3, it's hard to generate," said coach Bob Boffner. "Our big guys were exhausted at the end of the game, let's be honest. Anaheim has got some guys in their fourth line who do some killing for them, and I think that makes a big difference in ice time.
Raquel scored both goals for Anaheim in the second. He tied it in a span of 2 seven minutes when he knocked off a rebound after Reimer intercepted Zegras' shot from his left pad.
Couture's second goal gave the Sharks a 3–2 lead, with Raquel leveling it again at 16:09, when she obtained a loose puck in the slot and beat Reimer to the side of her glove with a snap shot.
Anaheim scored an earlier 3:38 when Grant caught Reimer on a two-man breakaway. Nicolas Deslauriers set it up with an interception in neutral territory before Sam Carrick and Grant put in a passing clinic in the Anaheim zone. Grant completed it with a wrist shot for his first goal in his last seven games.
Couture's both goals came off rebounds. Stolz tied it 1-all at 7:10 of the first period on tap-in after blocking the shot from Burns' faceoff.
Couture scored on a power-play goal to put San Jose 3-2 in 13:34 of the second. The Sharks captain scored on a backhand after Burns' slap shot was dropped from the pads of Stolz from deep in the offensive zone.
Burns led San Jose 2-1 in an earlier 17:33 with a one-timer from right point.
Lots of shoots
The Ducks have been involved in an NHL-high eight shootouts this season and are 4-4. The Sharks are 1-2 in the tiebreaker.
Zegras leads the league with six shootout goals and has converted six out of nine opportunities.
Record book
Burns placed Joe Pawelski third on the Sharks' career assist list. Burns has made 407 assists in nine seasons with San Jose.
Courteau's power-play goal in the second period was his 75th with the Sharks and broke a tie with Owen Nolan for fourth place in franchise history.
Next
Sharks: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday nights.
The Ducks: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night.