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The Noon Number: Pulling the Nail Out of the Coffin

A look at an incredibly rare reversal of fortunes

By Becca H
NHL: San Jose Sharks at Washington Capitals Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

0 - Number of times in at least 40 years that a team has given up an empty-net goal in the final minutes of regulation and come back to win... until yesterday.

Down 3-2 to the Sharks and with time ticking away, an attempted zone entry by Alex Ovechkin was batted away by San Jose’s Brent Burns, who passed it to Tomas Hertl, who handed it off to Logan Couture. Couture streaked up the middle unopposed and fired home the goal that seemingly iced the game for the Sharks with just one minute remaining.

Except no one told the Caps that the game was over (including their own social media team).

Goals by Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie tied the game at four in the final minute of regulation, and a Lars Eller tally in overtime would cap off the improbable comeback:

Incredible.