Patrick Marleau scored twice in his return as the San Jose Sharks avoided the worst start in franchise history with a 5-4 victory against Chicago on Thursday night in the Blackhawks' home opener.
The Sharks (1-4-0) rallied from a one-goal deficit four times, with Barclay Goodrow scoring the go-ahead goal at 4:47 of the third period. That gave San Jose its first lead of the season.
Kevin Labanc and Brent Burns also scored for the Sharks. Goaltender Aaron Dell made 26 saves.
Andrew Shaw scored twice for Chicago (0-2-0), which was beginning a seven-game homestand after opening the season in Europe with a 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers last Friday in Prague. Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome also scored for the Blackhawks and goalie Corey Crawford stopped 29 of 34 shots.
Goodrow's winner came after teammate Melker Karlsson got the puck to Joe Thornton behind the net. Thornton wheeled around the back of the net and found a wide-open Goodrow just outside the top of the crease. Goodrow held onto the puck for a split second before sliding it under Crawford.
Both teams scored twice in the first and twice in the second.
Kubalik opened the scoring with his first NHL goal at 5:07 of the first. It marked the fifth time in as many games the Sharks had allowed a goal in the first 6:15 of a contest.
Labanc tied it with a power play goal at 11:30 of the first.
Shaw, who returned to the Blackhawks this year after three seasons in Montreal, scored at 13:22 to make it 2-1.
Marleau, the 40-year-old forward who spent the first 19 seasons of his career in San Jose before playing in Toronto the past two, signed as a free agent Tuesday. He tied it at 2-2 with a power-play goal at 19:43.
The Blackhawks regained the lead on Shaw's second goal of the night at 9:27 of the second.
Burns scored midway through the second to tie it at 3-3 before Strome gave Chicago a 4-3 lead at 12:14. Marleau tied it again at 17:46.
--Field Level Media
San Jose | Chicago | |
Patrick Marleau 2 | Points | Andrew Shaw 2 |
Patrick Marleau 2 | Goals | Andrew Shaw 2 |
Dylan Gambrell 2 | Assists | Dylan Strome 1 |
Patrick Marleau 1 | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Aaron Dell .867 | Save Percentage | Corey Crawford .853 |
Aaron Dell 26 | Saves | Corey Crawford 29 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
San Jose | 34 | 5 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 4 | 24 |
Chicago | 30 | 4 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 6 | 31 |