Sharks’ Eklund has hat trick, helps Los Gatos native earn first NHL win
William Eklund scores three times and Los Gatos' Devin Cooley earns first NHL win as San Jose Sharks beat St. Louis Blues
SAN JOSE – What could have been another disastrous finish for the San Jose Sharks turned into a rare feel-good moment during a mostly dismal 2023-2024 season.
William Eklund scored at the 3:56 mark of overtime to complete his first career hat trick and goalie Devin Cooley, a Los Gatos native, made 34 saves to earn his first NHL win as the Sharks beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Saturday at SAP Center.
In overtime, Eklund collected the puck and raced down the left side on a 2-on-1 with Luke Kunin. Without hesitation, Eklund — on straw hat giveaway day — skated past the blue line and fired a shot past Blues goalie Joel Hofer, setting off a wild celebration inside the arena as hundreds of hats poured onto the ice.
“I felt like we came back and we came together even stronger,” Eklund said, “and we found a way to win.”
No one was happier than Cooley, the former Jr. Sharks standout who lived a dream Saturday by winning a game for the team he grew up cheering for inside the building he visited countless times as a kid.
“Just goosebumps. It was unbelievable,” Cooley said. “I’m sure my mom was bawling her eyes out.”
This reaction is everything.
What a moment for the Cooley family!
Cc: @devinjcooley pic.twitter.com/WtcYpnLUjL
— NHL (@NHL) April 7, 2024
Cooley had to remain calm as the Blues scored two third-period goals, including one by Brayden Schenn with 2:29 left in regulation time, to tie the game 2-2.
The blown lead by the Sharks (18-50-8) evoked memories of their 5-4 loss to Chicago on March 23, as they owned a four-goal lead only to give it all away with Cooley in net before the Blackhawks scored in overtime.
Saturday, Cooley, who has been working a ton with goalie coach Thomas Speer, made one more save in the third period after Schenn’s goal, then three more in overtime as the Sharks killed a hooking penalty on Mikael Granlund.
“Once they scored with two minutes left, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, are you kidding?’ ” Cooley said. “Then we got the penalty in overtime and I’m like, ‘Not again.’ ”
“I feel like I have all the tools and with the right coaching, I feel like I could be a really good goalie,” said Cooley, now 1-1-1 with the Sharks, improving his save percentage from .852 to .887. “Tonight was (a result of) all the work that we’ve been doing. I felt like it started to come together.”
The win was just San Jose’s second in its last 13 games, with both victories coming against the Blues. The Sharks had lost nine straight before a 4-0 win over St. Louis on March 30, then lost the first two games of this homestand earlier this week.
With the victory, the Sharks remained seven points back of the Blackhawks for 31st place in the NHL’s overall standings. Both teams have six games remaining.
The Sharks took a 2-0 lead into the third period as forward Eklund scored twice on the power play and Cooley made 22 saves in the first 40 minutes.
The Sharks drew some inspiration from Cooley, but also from Kunin, who, in a scoreless game, buried Blues winger Jake Neighbours along the boards in front of the St. Louis bench.
That prompted a challenge from Blues defenseman Justin Faulk, who received an extra two minutes for instigating at the 13:47 mark of the second period. After the scrap ended, Kunin implored his teammates to take advantage of the situation.
Just 55 seconds after the fight, the Sharks took the lead, as Eklund took a pass from Henry Thrun and rifled a one-timer past Hofer at the 14:42 mark. Eklund also scored at the 16:59 mark of the second period after a scramble in front of the St. Louis net.
“We try to do as he does because he always comes and competes every day,” Eklund said of Kunin. “It’s huge for us to have him here.”
The Sharks’ two power-play goals were part of a strong special teams night, as they also went 5-for-6 on the penalty kill. That included erasing a four-minute man Blues advantage after San Jose defenseman Calen Addison was given a double-minor for cross-checking and unsportsmanlike conduct late in the first period.
Addison was also given a 10-minute and a game misconduct as he chastised official Brandon Schrader, leaving the Sharks with just five defensemen for the final two periods.
“I’m not out there. I don’t hear everything what’s said,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “Thought it was a little quick but, that’s all I’m going to say.”
Collin Graf made his NHL debut Saturday and finished with one shot on net in 13:36 of ice time.
It’s been a whirlwind 72 hours for the undrafted Graf, considered one the top college free agents available this year before he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks on Thursday.
He arrived in San Jose later that day, practiced with the Sharks on Friday, and played in the team’s top-six forward group against the Blues, even playing on the second power-play unit.