SAN JOSE — The Vancouver Canucks triumphed over the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in overtime on Thursday night at SAP Center, with Drew O'Connor scoring the decisive goal just 33 seconds after the extra session began. This victory marks the Canucks' second consecutive win, improving their record to 25-18-11, even as the struggling Sharks endured their ninth loss out of their last ten games.
The game was tightly contested, showcasing both teams' efforts, but it was the Canucks who broke through first when Dakota Joshua deflected Pius Suter’s shot past Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek at 8:04 of the third period. Joshua's power-play goal gave the Canucks the lead, sending shockwaves through the crowd.
It wasn’t until the final moments of regular play when Tyler Toffoli delivered for the Sharks, tying the game 1-1 with just 1:28 remaining. After receiving multiple chances at the net, Toffoli turned the tide with a deft bank shot off Canucks' defenseman Derek Forbort, demonstrating persistence and skill. “Just a forecheck, and one of their guys passed it to me and I had four shots to score,” Toffoli commented, reflecting on the chaotic sequence near the net.
Overtime brought its own excitement, with the momentum swinging back to the Canucks when the Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini committed a hooking penalty against O'Connor during an odd-man rush. The resulting penalty shot set the stage for O'Connor, who successfully tucked the puck past Vanecek to clinch the game. “I just tried to beat my guy up the ice. It was a nice play by [Filip Chytil] to get it over to me,” O'Connor said, noting the importance of teamwork leading to his goal.
Canucks' goaltender Thatcher Demko was instrumental throughout the match, making 33 saves and proving tough to beat—especially during the frantic moments leading up to Toffoli's equalizer. Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet praised the efforts on both sides, saying, “Demko was great, so was their goaltender. I think we could've gotten the puck to the net a little bit more.” Despite the loss, Vanecek managed to make 22 saves and demonstrated resilience after being sidelined for weeks due to injury.
Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky expressed frustration at the outcome but praised his team's effort, stating, “I thought we competed hard, I thought we worked hard. Our puck play was a little iffy at times, but I thought we did enough to win a hockey game, that's for sure.” The Sharks continue to struggle this season, currently sitting last overall with just 15 wins and struggling to close out tight games.
This defeat is disheartening for San Jose, which is hoping to build momentum with only 1 win from 10 games. While they fought hard against the Canucks, the team’s fragility when it counts most has become all too clear. Meanwhile, the Canucks aim to build on their recent success as they push toward the playoff picture, continuing to refine their game and gel as a cohesive unit.