Hertl gets hat trick, Eklund scores in OT to lift Sharks to dramatic 5-4 win over Islanders

NEW YORK (AP) — William Eklund scored in the closing seconds of overtime, Tomas Hertl had a hat trick and the San Jose Sharks erased a three-goal, third-period deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Kevin Labanc also scored and Kaapo Kahkonen made 33 saves for the Sharks.

Julien Gauthier, Brock Nelson, Mike Reilly and Ryan Pulock scored for the Islanders who began a six-game homestand with a loss. Simon Holmstrom and Bo Horvat each added two assists and Ilya Sorokin finished with 27 saves.

Mikael Granlund set up Eklund for a one-time shot with 5 seconds to play in the three-on-three overtime period.

Hertl recorded the equalizer and completed his sixth career hat trick at 18:30 to even the score at 4-4. He buried a rebound 1:49 prior to the equalizer to pull the Sharks to within a goal.

Labanc redirected Nikita Okhotiuk’s shot from the point to pull the Sharks within two goals at 11:55 of the third period.

New York scored two goals on special teams within a 3:10 stretch in the third period to expand its lead to three goals.

Reilly’s short-handed goal at 5:17 of the third gave the Islanders a 3-1 edge. Holmstrom set up Reilly in the high slot and collected his second assist of the game.

Pulock connected on a one-timer on the power play at 8:27 and gave New York a 4-1 lead. Jean-Gabriel Pageau picked up his 300th career point with an assist on the goal.

Nelson scored his team-leading 11th goal to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 5:27 of the second period. Defenseman Noah Dobson and Horvat assisted.

Gauthier opened the scoring at 9:26 of the first period when he fired a wrist shot past the glove of Kahkonen. Holmstrom set up Gauthier, earning his first assist of the season.

Hertl evened the score at 1-1 by beating Sorokin with a wrist shot on the glove side. Anthony Duclair drove to the net, collected his own rebound and found Hertl all alone in the slot at 12:19 of the first period.

UP NEXT:

Sharks: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

Islanders: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

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