Karlsson scores in OT as Sharks beat Rangers for first win of season

NEW YORK (AP) — Erik Karlsson scored 49 seconds into overtime and the San Jose Sharks beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Thursday night for their first victory of the season.

Logan Couture and Radim Simek also scored for the Sharks, who got former Rangers coach David Quinn his first win after beginning the season a franchise-worst 0-5-0. James Reimer stopped 21 shots.

“It just felt good," Quinn said. “I thought our guys did a great job. ... We had been a fragile group, but we showed some mental toughness tonight. We showed some perseverance and resolve and you’re gonna need all those things moving forward here."

In the 3-on-3 overtime, Timo Meier — playing in his 400th NHL game — went around the left side of the goal, sent a pass from behind to Karlsson, who fired it into the net on the right side before Shesterkin could slide over.

“For the first time this year we kind of stuck with it,” Karlsson said. “We tried our best to win the game instead of sitting back and seeing what's going to happen. ... Timo did a good job of staying patient and he found me for an easy goal.”

Artemi Panarin and Filip Chytil scored for the Rangers, who had beaten the Sharks seven straight times. Igor Shesterkin had 24 saves.

New York had 21 shots on goal through the first two periods but managed just two in the third and none in overtime.

“We got a point out of it and we weren't great in the third period — we were pretty bad,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “I don't expect to see that period again.”

With the score tied at 2 early in the third, Rangers captain Jacob Trouba fired a shot off the right post from the right side.

After facing just nine shots over the first two periods, Shesterkin had to make 16 saves in the third — including a stop on Nico Sturm in close with 28 seconds left to send it to overtime.

Trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Rangers tied it 1:50 into the second period. Chytil brought the puck up the left side and fired a shot past Reimer from the left faceoff circle for hi//s second of the season.

Panarin gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 9:05 of the middle period when he finished a give-and-go with Adam Fox in the left circle and beat Reimer for his third goal of the season and NHL-leading 11th point.

Simek tied it as he beat Shesterkin with a shot he got off from between the circles just before he was taken out by a sliding Fox with 6:50 left in the period.

The Rangers outshot the Sharks 8-5 in a penalty-filled first period that saw the teams whistled for six infractions — four by San Jose.

“The whole first period was special teams,” Rangers forward Chris Kreider said. “We lost the special teams battle, lost the period. We had an opportunity to kind of put our brand on the game early, a bunch of power-play opportunities, a couple of miscues on the penalty-kill. ... We leave (down) 1-0 and we're chasing the game.”

Couture got the Sharks on the scoreboard first for the fifth time in six games this season, 6:02 into the game on San Jose's first power play. He got his second of the season as he scored from the left side on a rebound of a shot by Karlsson that deflected off teammate Luke Kunin on the way to Shesterkin. It was also the Sharks' second power-play goal of the season after coming in 1 for 19.

QUINN'S RETURN

Quinn was back at Madison Square Garden for the first time since he was fired following the abbreviated 2021 season. Fans booed when the Rangers showed him on the scoreboard with a message saying “Thank you Coach Quinn.” Quinn went 96-87-25 in three seasons with Rangers.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Rangers were 0 for 5 on the power play after coming in 5 for 15. ... The Sharks are now 20 for 20 on the penalty-kill.

UP NEXT

Sharks: At the New Jersey on Saturday night in the third of a four-game trip.

Rangers: Host Columbus on Sunday night in the third of a four-game homestand.