It Takes Time, but Sharks Finally Beat Penguins, 10-8

Ray Sheppard scored his seventh career hat trick and backup goalie Wade Flaherty turned in solid relief work as the San Jose Sharks rallied from a three-goal deficit and shocked the Pittsburgh Penguins, 10-8, Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

The Sharks were 0-6-2 against Pittsburgh, one of four franchises they’d never beaten. They set a club record for goals in a game. San Jose came in with an NHL-worst road record of 3-15-2 and beat the Penguins, who have the second-best home record (18-4-0).

“I don’t think I can explain this game,” Shark Coach Jim Wiley said. “There is no way any team playing against Pittsburgh can play an open game. I know this sounds kind of stupid, but I didn’t really think we played that open. If we had, God knows what the score would have been--18-to-something, probably.”

Penguin goaltender Penguins goalie Tom Barrasso had his second consecutive subpar night. On Friday, his 11-game home winning streak ended with a 6-5 loss to Montreal. Pittsburgh has lost consecutive home games for the first time this season.

OTHER GAMES

Mark Messier had two goals and two assists, and Glenn Healy earned his first shutout of the season as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia, 4-0, at Philadelphia. Messier, who had only 14 goals all last season, has four goals and four assists in the last two games and 66 points (31 goals, 35 assists) this season. . . . Ray Bourque’s shot from the point was deflected into the goal by a New Jersey defenseman with 4:22 left to give Boston a 3-2 victory over the Devils in Boston.

Martin Rucinsky’s second goal of the game at 18:52 of the third period helped Montreal earn a 3-3 tie with St. Louis at Montreal. The Canadiens had pulled goaltender Pat Jablonski for an extra attacker when Vincent Damphousse slipped the puck to Rucinsky in the slot for a backhand shot that fooled goaltender Grant Fuhr.

Doug Weight scored with 12 seconds left in overtime, leading Edmonton to a 5-4 victory over Buffalo and giving goaltender Curtis Joseph a victory in his Oiler debut. . . . Bret Hedican and Esa Tikkanen scored two goals each and Corey Hirsch made 43 saves in Vancouver’s 5-2 victory over Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Alexander Selivanov’s third-period power-play goal and solid goaltending from Daren Puppa led Tampa Bay to a 4-1 victory over Ottawa at St. Petersburg, Fla. . . . Steve Yzerman scored his 499th career goal in the decisive first period, and Detroit ended Washington’s eight-game home unbeaten streak with a 4-2 victory at Landover, Md.