For two periods Thursday night, the San Jose Sharks could not solve Leevi Merilainen. Then Will Smith solved him twice in less than three minutes.
Smith scored both of his goals midway through the third period, the second one tying the game, and Mason Marchment followed 11 seconds later as San Jose turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in front of 15,442 at SAP Center.
Three goals, 170 seconds
The comeback started on a power play. With Jonathan Lekkerimaki in the box for interference, Smith took a feed from Dmitry Orlov at the right point, cut toward the slot and beat Merilainen on the blocker side eight minutes into the period.
At 10:39 he struck again. Michael Kesselring's point shot missed the net, Macklin Celebrini steered the loose puck into the slot, and Smith one-touched it over the goaltender's glove to make it 2-2. Before the crowd had settled, Marchment carried the puck down the left wing and snapped a wrist shot that deflected off Merilainen's glove and in for the winner.
"We're trying to get the crowd into it, and then I think it just kind of loosened up the guys a little bit," Smith told NHL.com. "Everyone's kind of gripping their stick a little tight. We just want to go out there and have fun."
Smith finished with two goals on three shots in 17:44 of ice time, giving him six on the season. Marchment, who also set up Smith's first goal, had the other multipoint night for San Jose, and Celebrini's assist was his 16th point of the season, The Associated Press reported.
