William Eklund scored three goals, including the overtime winner, while Devin Cooley made 34 saves for his first NHL victory as the San Jose Sharks defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Saturday.
Eklund sealed the win with a wrist shot during a 2-on-1 break in overtime. The Sharks bounced back after the Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period with goals from Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn, who equalized with just 17:31 left in regulation after St. Louis pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.
Eklund, 21 years old, scored two power-play goals in the second period for his first multi-goal game. He mentioned that he was focused on shooting once he got the puck on the power play. Eklund celebrated his hat trick by wearing a straw hat, which was a giveaway for fans attending the game.
It was a rare moment of celebration for the Sharks this season, as they had lost 22 of their last 25 games since January 31. Cooley, a 26-year-old native of Los Gatos, California, secured his first NHL win in his third career start.
He expressed his disbelief and joy, mentioning that he would have never believed it if someone had told him two months ago that he would achieve this milestone in his hometown.
The Sharks now hold a perfect 3-0 record against the Blues this season, dealing a blow to St. Louis’ slim playoff hopes. The Blues are currently seven points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, with six games remaining.
Joel Hofer made 22 saves for the Blues, who expressed frustration after the game for letting the Sharks hang around and capitalize on their opportunities.
Sharks defenseman Calen Addison received a game misconduct late in the first period, while Jake Neighbours left the game with an upper-body injury after a hit from Luke Kunin in the second period.
Collin Graf, the Sharks’ recent acquisition, made his debut on the second line. The 21-year-old, who was highly sought after as a top NCAA free agent, chose San Jose due to the team’s honesty and his familiarity with some of his new teammates from the Northeast.
