Ducks break out to early lead, beat Sharks 5-2

Updated Apr. 27, 2022 1:08 a.m. ET

Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Max Comtois and Sonny Milano scored in a span of less than a minute in the second period and the Anaheim Ducks beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Trevor Zegras and Josh Mahura also scored and Zach Aston-Reese had an empty-netter for the Ducks, who had lost six of their past seven games. Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves to beat San Jose for the third time this season.

Brent Burns and Scott Reedy scored for the Sharks in their final home game of the season. Kaapo Kahkonen made 25 saves.

The Sharks started slow the game after posting their biggest win of the season, when they rallied late to force overtime and beat Vegas in a shootout on Sunday night to harm the Golden Knights' playoff chances.

San Jose has little else to play for outside of the spoiler role as the Sharks will miss the playoffs for a third straight season for the first time in franchise history.

The Ducks are in a similar situation, missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season and coming off an emotional game Sunday night when Ryan Getzlaf played the final game of his career.

Anaheim converted on an early power play in the first when Zegras beat Kahkonen up high from in close. The puck got stuck in the netting and no one reacted immediately to the goal before Zegras raised his hands in celebration when he finally realized he scored his 23rd goal of the season.

Anaheim then seized control with two goals in a stretch of 56 seconds early in the second period that came right after the Ducks killed a penalty.

Comtois got the first when he finished off a give-and-go with Kevin Shattenkirk and then Sonny Milano made it 3-0 with a backhand from the slot.

The Sharks got back into it with a power-play goal from Burns and a deflection by Reedy late in the second period.

Mahura scored midway through the third to give the Ducks an insurance goal.

COMING BACK

The Ducks signed center Sam Carrick to a two-year contract to keep him through the 2023-24 season. The 30-year-old Carrick established new single-season career highs this season in goals (11), assists (8) and points (19) in 64 games.

In 111 career games with Anaheim and Toronto, Carrick has 15 goals and 15 assists.

SITTING OUT

Sharks D Erik Karlsson missed his seventh straight game with a lower-body injury. There had been some hope of him returning before the end of the season but coach Bob Boughner said Karlsson hasn't been skating and ruled out that possibility. Karlsson finished his fourth season in San Jose with 10 goals and 25 assists in 50 games.

UP NEXT

Ducks: Visit Dallas on Friday night.

Sharks: Visit Edmonton on Thursday night.

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