San Jose Sharks collapse in historic fashion, lose in OT

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Devin Cooley nearly earned his first career NHL win for his hometown San Jose Sharks on Saturday night inside the arena he visited dozens of times as a kid.

Of course, it couldn’t be that easy. Nothing has been for the Sharks this season.

Seth Jones scored at the 18-second mark of overtime, capping a historic comeback as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Sharks 5-4 at SAP Center.

The Sharks had a four-goal lead in the second period only to see the Chicago Blackhawks start to chip away, with Jones’ fifth goal of the season at the 6:20 mark of the third period cutting San Jose’s lead to one.

Phillipp Kurashev scored with 47 seconds left in the third period to tie the game 4-4.

The loss marks the first time in Sharks franchise history that they lost a game after owning a four-goal lead.

Thomas Bordeleau scored twice in the first period and Fabian Zetterlund had two goals and an assist, but the fragile Sharks’ losing streak now is at seven games as they fell five points back of the Blackhawks for 31st place in the NHL standings.

Cooley, 26, a Los Gatos native, became the first individual from Santa Clara County to play for the Sharks when he started for San Jose last Sunday in Chicago. He made 26 saves in what turned into a 5-2 Blackhawks win.

Saturday, Cooley made 12 saves in the second period and five more in the third in front of about a dozen family members in attendance.

Saturday’s game looked like it might be a rare laugher for the Sharks.

But after Zetterlund scored his second goal of the game and his 20th of the season, firing a wrist shot past Chicago goalie Petr Mrazek to give San Jose a 4-0 lead at the 1:24 mark of the second period, the Blackhawks started to find their legs.

Ex-Sharks winger Ryan Donato scored his 11th of the season at the 6:45 mark of the second period, and Tyler Johnson added his 16th of the season.

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