SAN JOSE, Calif. _ The San Jose Sharks knew they weren't going to have an easy time with the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday after the three previous meetings between the two teams this season were all decided by one goal.
The Sharks also didn't have to peer too long into their crystal ball to know that hostilities could arise at any time.
After a contentious first two periods, the teams trading goals in the third and a terrific glove save by Martin Jones in overtime, the Coyotes outscored the Sharks 2-1 in a shootout and beat the Sharks 3-2 at SAP Center.
Brendan Perlini and Radim Vrbata scored in the shootout on Jones as the Sharks suffered just their second loss in 10 games.
The Sharks couldn't take advantage of a tripping call on Shane Doan 2:09 into overtime. After the penalty expired, Doan moved in on a 2 on 1 with Tobias Rieder, who was robbed by an acrobatic glove save from Jones with 34 seconds left.
Logan Couture gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead with an even strength goal just 2:18 into the third period, finishing off a pretty passing play from Mikkel Boedker and Patrick Marleau for his 18th of the season.
Just 26 seconds later, though, a shot by Ryan White appeared to go off Brenden Dillon's stick before it got past Sharks goalie Jones at the 2:44 mark.
Doan opened the game's scoring for the Coyotes 12:23 into the second period. Dillon got that goal back with 2:45 to go in the second, lunging at loose puck inside the Coyotes crease for his first goal of the season.
Micheal Haley drew into the lineup for the first time since Jan. 18. Haley was on injured reserve for five games (lower body) before the all-star break and had been scratched for the last two games.
The Sharks were 1-1-1 this season against the Coyotes coming into Saturday, with the three games featuring a combined 61 penalty minutes. Haley had fought Arizona's White twice this before season, on Nov. 1 and Nov. 19, both at Gila River Arena.
The Coyotes had won only three of their last 10 games but did have Max Domi back in the lineup. Domi suffered a broken hand Dec. 8 in a fight against Calgary's Garnet Hathaway and returned Thursday, playing 12:51 in the Coyotes' 4-3 loss to Chicago.
"It doesn't matter what they've done lately, it's what they do against us and they always play well against us. They always give us a hard time," Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said Saturday morning. "You throw out the records. We have to be ready to play. We know we've been burned by this team before."
It became clear in the first two periods why DeBoer decided to dress Haley.
Dillon and Lawson Crouse dropped the gloves with 5:51 left in the first period, just seconds after Crouse had taken a run at Tomas Hertl.
Toward the end of the first period, Coyotes goalie Mike Smith froze the puck at the side of his crease. Timo Meier skated toward Smith as he was being checked by Luke Schenn. Smith's mask flew off, as he and Schenn went straight for Meier as a scrum ensued behind the Coyotes net.
The Sharks, though, weren't able to take advantage of the ensuing 5-on-3 power play.
Haley centered the fourth line with Melker Karlsson and Kevin Labanc on the wings. Meier moved up to the third line with Chris Tierney and Joel Ward. Ryan Carpenter, who has played seven of the last eight games, was a healthy scratch.
"He's healthy and he was playing great when he went out," DeBoer said of Haley on Saturday morning. "A big part of our team."
A botched line change by the Sharks resulted in a too many men penalty at the 10:33 mark of the second period.
During the Sharks' penalty kill, Couture found himself going back and forth with Domi in the neutral zone.
As those two sparred, the Coyotes had what amounted to a 4-on-3 in the Sharks' zone, as Doan's wrist shot from between the circles got through Jones' legs for a 1-0 Arizona lead with 7:37 left in the second period.
"It's the National Hockey League and you can't take any team lightly," Haley said. "We've got to be ready right from the drop of the puck. We got some help last night so we need these point to get some space here. We've got to come out ready for a good hockey team."
