Gagner lifts Canucks past Sharks in overtime

VANCOUVER -- Sam Gagner said he already was thinking about what move he might try in the shootout. He got to use it in overtime instead.
Gagner scored on a breakaway with 26 seconds left, beating Martin Jones with a quick deke and a backhand over his blocker to give the Vancouver Canucks a 4-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Friday.

"I just wanted to settle it down and get him moving," Gagner said. "I was actually preparing a little bit for the shootout and what I was going to do if I had a chance. It allows you to think about it if you get a breakaway."
WATCH: [All Sharks vs. Canucks highlights]
Markus Granlund scored two goals, Brock Boeser scored his NHL rookie-leading 17th of the season, and Jacob Markstrom made 34 saves for Vancouver (15-14-4), which ended a four-game losing streak.
Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin each had three assists for the Canucks, who defeated the Sharks at home for the first time since Jan. 21, 2012. Vancouver was 0-9-2 against San Jose between wins at Rogers Arena, and was coming off a 7-1 loss against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.
"We needed to respond, and the guys really responded," Markstrom said.

Brent Burns scored his second goal of the game to tie it 3-3 with 5:49 left in the third period.
Marcus Sorensen scored, and Martin Jones made 36 saves for the Sharks (17-11-3), who were coming off a 3-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
The Canucks outshot the Sharks 10-0 in the first five minutes, and Granlund made it 1-0 when he scored on the power play with a redirection 44 seconds into the game.
"They've lost a bunch in a row, they're sitting here rested, they got whacked last game 7-1. All the things set up for them to have an 'A' game, and they did," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. "They were outstanding early, and [Jones] gave us a chance to hang around. We found a way to get an important point on a night where we probably didn't deserve one."
Burns used a Tomas Hertl screen to score with a point shot to tie it 1-1 at 10:45 of the first period, but Granlund scored his second shortly after a power play expired at 14:27 to put the Canucks ahead 2-1.
It was the sixth goal for Granlund, who scored 19 in 69 games last season. The two-goal game came after he had a long talk with coach Travis Green during the morning skate.
"He just said he needs more from me, that's it," Granlund said. "I know I can play better."
Boeser made it 3-1 on the power play at 11:56 of the second period. After splitting the defense and hitting the post on a breakaway, Boeser waited at the left face-off dot and the Sedins got the puck back to him for a wrist shot over Jones' left shoulder.
"That was the type of game we wanted to play," Boeser said. "That was a huge two points for us."
Sorensen scored on a rebound with 1:44 left in the second to cut the Vancouver lead to 3-2, and Burns tied it on a point shot that went in off defenseman Alex Biega's skate.
"Every night, you've got to play a good game or you're going to fall behind," said Burns, who has five goals in his past five games.
San Jose center Logan Couture left the game after a hit from Alexander Burmistrov 5:12 into the third period. Burmistrov was given a penalty for interference.
DeBoer did not have an update on Couture, whose 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) lead the Sharks.

Goal of the game

Gagner's breakaway goal with 26 seconds left in overtime.

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Save of the game

Jones stopping Thomas Vanek with his right pad on a rebound 3:54 into the third period.

Highlight of the game

Boeser's power-play goal at 11:56 of the second period, nine seconds after he hit the post on a breakaway.

They said it

"It wasn't a great start for us. That was a team that got beat up pretty good last game, so we knew they were going to come out with a lot of jump and we were maybe a little flat, we played last night, which is always tough. We battled through it though and fought back." -- Sharks goalie Martin Jones, who made three great saves in the first three minute
"It was big for me, it was big for our team. You want to contribute offensively. Hopefully, it's something that allows me to get some offensive swagger and keep producing." -- Canucks forward Sam Gagner on scoring his first goal in nine games on a breakaway in overtime

Need to know

Burns' first goal was the eighth for the Sharks on the power play in five games. ... San Jose forward Joel Ward got his 300th NHL point in his 700th game with an assist on Burns' second goal. ... Sharks center Joe Thornton was held without a point for the first time in five games and remains one behind Doug Gilmour (1,414) for 18th place in NHL history. ... Henrik Sedin has 15 assists in his past 13 games. ... The Canucks are 1-2 in games decided in overtime. The Sharks are 1-3.

What's next

Sharks: At the Edmonton Oilers on Monday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)
Canucks:Host the Calgary Flames on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; SN, NHL.TV)