Jesse Ylönen scores in sixth round of shootout as Canadiens beat Sharks 3-2

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau, top right, is congratulated by teammates after an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. The Canadiens won 3-2 in a shootout. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN JOSE, Calif. -

Jesse Ylönen scored the game-winning goal in the sixth round of a shootout and the Montreal Canadiens beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Friday.

Cayden Primeau made 31 saves, including stopping five straight attempts in the shootout.

Montreal has won back-to-back games after dropping four straight, starting off a road swing through California with wins in Anaheim and San Jose.

The Sharks led 2-1 entering the third, but Cole Caufield tied the game three minutes into the third on a wrist shot.

San Jose, responding to a 7-1 loss at Seattle on Wednesday after which coach David Quinn called his team's performance "embarrassing," outshot the Canadiens but have dropped six of seven.

Johnathan Kovacevic cut the lead in half with two minutes left in the second period on a wrist shot off a counterattack. Jayden Struble, playing in his second NHL game, recorded his first career point with an assist on the goal.

Primeau made 31 saves for the Canadiens. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 shots, including a breakaway opportunity seconds into overtime.

The game was scoreless until five minutes into the second period, when Mike Hoffman buried a shot past Primeau off a pass by William Eklund from behind the net. Hoffman, who did not score until Nov. 14 after being acquired by the Sharks in the offseason, has since taken over the team lead in goals.

Eklund made it 2-0 at 12:30 of the second period with a one-timer on the power play, moments into the penalty. With the goal, the 21-year-old Eklund recorded the first multi-point game of his career.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.

Canadiens: Visit Los Angeles on Saturday.