Will Smith scored 1:38 into overtime as the San Jose Sharks ended their season-opening six-game losing streak with a wild 6-5 victory over the host New York Rangers on Thursday night.
The Sharks blew a pair of two-goal leads in the first period and a one-goal lead in the third before Smith scored his second goal of the contest.
Macklin Celebrini recorded his second career hat trick and also assisted on both of Smith’s goals, tying his career high with a five-point night.
Smith won it when he was alone in the left circle and lifted a shot over Igor Shesterkin after a pass from Celebrini, who was stopped at the doorstep seconds earlier.
Adam Gaudette also scored on a wide-open look in front of the net 1:58 into the contest for the Sharks, who were 0-4-2 in the losing streak.
Taylor Raddysh notched his second career hat trick, but it was not enough as the Rangers dropped to 0-4-1 at home this season. Mika Zibanejad and Juuso Parssinen also scored for the Rangers, who lost for the fifth time in six games and fell to 11-0-3 in their past 14 meetings with the Sharks.
New York matched a team record by losing its first five home games of the season. The Rangers also lost their first five home contests of the 1943-44 season.
San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic allowed five goals on 27 shots, while Shesterkin allowed six on 24 shots.
Celebrini scored twice in the opening period to give the Sharks a 3-1 lead. He scored a power-play goal 6:17 into the contest and again with nine seconds left in the first.
The 19-year-old former top overall pick registered his third goal by finishing off a one-timer from the left circle with six seconds remaining in the second, then contributed the secondary assist when Smith scored on a rebound off a William Eklund shot to give the Sharks a 5-4 lead.
San Jose held the 3rd-period lead for 5:19 until Raddysh finished off his hat trick by firing a shot from the right circle into the net.
