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SAN JOSE — Erik Karlsson is back, healthy and picking up where he left off before he missed nine games with a groin injury.
Karlsson suited up for his first regular season game since Jan. 16 on Saturday, logging his usual ice time, hounding the puck and recording a point that helped as the Sharks knock off the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 at SAP Center.
Joe Pavelski scored the game-winning goal, burying the rebound of a Timo Meier shot after Canucks defenseman Alex Biega fanned on a pass, turning the puck over in his own zone. Logan Couture registered the secondary assist, his second point of the night.
With the win, the Sharks moved back into a tie with the Calgary Flames for first place in the Pacific Division.
Couture recorded his first point by putting the Sharks ahead 2-1 at 11:08 of the second, displaying tremendous patience as he took Joe Pavelski’s pass in the slot and waited out goalie Jacob Markstrom before beating him with a shot on his blocker side. Brent Burns picked up his 53rd assist on the goal.
Brock Boeser tied the game at 4:31 of the third after the pairing of Karlsson and Marc-Edouard Vlasic left him alone at the side of the net, giving him an open look to flip the puck past Martin Jones on his stick side.
Karlsson didn’t waste any time in making an impact on the game. He found his way onto the scoresheet just 3:45 into the game, finding Meier in the slot with a quick touch pass on the power play, leading to the opening goal. By burying Karlsson’s pass, Meier recorded his second goal in three games after scoring just one in his previous 23 games. Evander Kane earned the secondary assist on the play.
The Canucks tied the game just 57 seconds later when the Sharks got caught making a sloppy line change. Biega took advantage of the extra ice, sending Antoine Roussel on a breakaway with a stretch pass through the neutral zone that the Canucks agitator converted for his seventh goal of the year.
Jones snagged his 28th win in the goal crease, making 32 saves on 34 shots.
The Sharks will return to action at SAP Center on Monday, completing a three-game homestand with a bout against the Boston Bruins.
