SAN JOSE, Calif. _ It might just have qualified as the most emotional game the San Jose Sharks have played this season.
After Brent Burns scored in overtime, maybe it was the most important win of the season as well.
Burns scored with 1:50 left in overtime, giving the Sharks a wild 5-4 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday and snapping a season-long six-game losing streak.
Burns one-timed a pass from Joe Pavelski for his 28th goal of the season and his first goal since Feb. 18.
The Sharks had already clinched a playoff spot earlier Tuesday thanks to Los Angeles' 2-1 regulation time loss to Edmonton, the 19th time in franchise history they have reached the postseason. The win over the Rangers made the night that much sweeter.
Chris Tierney might have scored the biggest goal of the month for the Sharks late in the third period.
Tierney tied the game with 2:15 to go in the third period. After Mikkel Boedker put a shot toward the net, Jannik Hansen backhanded the loose puck to Tierney, who had nothing but an open net to look at for his ninth goal of the season.
Before that, the Sharks let slip a two-goal lead and seemed on their way to their most heartbreaking loss in recent memory.
Holding a that lead late in the second period, the Sharks saw the Rangers score three unanswered goals, including two on the power play.
Derek Stepan scored on the power play with 23 seconds left in the second to cut the deficit to one.
The Rangers then got an even strength goal from Jesper Fast and another power play goal, this one the winner from J.T. Miller for a 4-3 Rangers lead with 15:16 left in the third period.
The Kings, with 77 points, now have just seven games left and reach a maximum of 91 points. The Sharks had 91 points entering Tuesday, and would own the first tie-breaker with Los Angeles _ regulation or overtime wins. The Sharks had 40 entering their game against the New York Rangers and the Kings, even if they win their last six games, could only get to 39.
The Sharks have now reached the postseason in 12 of the last 13 seasons, missing only in 2014-15.
The Sharks took a 3-1 lead at the 11:38 mark of the second period.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic carried the puck across the blue line and put a shot toward the net that was blocked by Brendan Smith. The loose puck came to Tierney, who skated toward the net, collected his own rebound after his first shot was blocked and beat an outstretched Henrik Lundqvist for his eighth goal of the season.
