Jenner breaks Sharks’ heart with late goal

SAN JOSE – Boone Jenner scored with 13 seconds left on the regulation clock on Saturday to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 win over the Sharks.

Sharks defenseman Nikita Okhotiuk (center) holds Justin Danforth (17) as Calen Addison (33 ) and Alexandre Texier (42) move in the fight for the puck – Photo by Jack Lima

Johnny Gaudreau set up the winner with a lead pass to Jenner for a breakaway.

“Good pass from [Ivan] Provorov to Johnny, and I knew he was waiting for that perfect time to give me the puck and hit me with it, and was able to just get a shot off backhand and find a way through his pads,” Jenner said.

Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves in the win.

The Blue Jackets moved to 17-26-10.

“We’ve always found ways to lose this year, it seems like,” the Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski said. “Tonight we found a way to win with [13] seconds left, which hasn’t happened yet this year. So it definitely feels good to be on the right side of things.”

The Sharks dropped to 15-34-5.

“I just didn’t think we were mentally sharp tonight,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “I don’t think we had a lot of attention to details, and we didn’t play with a conscience tonight. It was kind of free-wheeling hockey tonight. And I give them credit, they played well. They’ve lost a lot of close games this year and they’ve got big, strong, good players. They played well.”

Anthony Duclair staked the Sharks to a 109 lead at 3:39 of the opening stanza. He scored off a breakaway for the marker.

The Blue Jackets replied with a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead into the middle frame.

The Blue Jackets knotted it, 1-1, when Werenski hit from above the right circle at 15:16 of the first.

Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets at 16:24 off a shot form the right side for the 2-1 advantage headed to the second.

“We knew that we were giving up too much, the breakaways and stuff,” the Sharks’ Mario Ferraro said. “In the first intermission we got together, we knew we had to play tighter.”

Columbus took a two-goal when Dmitri Voronkov struck at 7:14 of the middle frame for a 3-1 advantage.

Duclair collected his double with a marker at 7:33, to trim the deficit to 3-2.

Fabian Zetterlund hit for the power play at 15:29 with a shot from the left side for the 3-3 tie headed to the third period.

“I saw him through the seam and threw a fake and threw it over to him,” Columbus’ Calen Addison said. “He’s got a great shot and a great release, so he’s going to hit that 10 times out of 10.”

Kaapo Kahkonen made 37 saves in the loss.

Zach Werenski (8) congratulates goalie Elvis Merzlikins on his win – Photo by Jack Lima

The Sharks debut their new Cali Fin alternate jerseys worn by Anthony Duclair – Photo by Jack Lima

Sharks forward Mikael Granlund (64) skates towards the net in front of Boone Jenner (38) – Photo by Jack Lima

Sharks forward Justin Bailey (90) attempts to move the puck away from Blue Jackets defenseman Jake Bean (22) – Photo by Jack Lima

Sharks forward Filip Zadina (18) shoots the puck on net as goalie Elvis Merzlikins reaches to stop the shot – Photo by Jack Lima

Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund (20) reaches for a rebound as Blue Jackets defenseman Cole Sillinger (4) attempts to control the puck – Photo by Jack Lima

Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund (20) collides with goalie Elvis Merzlikins as defenseman Jake Bean (22) attempts to provide support – Photo by Jack Lima

Jack Roslovic (96) screens Sharks goalie Kaapo Kahkonen as Zach Werenski’s (not pictured) shot finds the net for the Blue Jackets first goal – Photo by Jack Lima

Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins takes a break during a stoppage of play – Photo by Jack Lima

Blue Jackets forward Justin Danforth (17) attempts to control the puck in front of defenseman Jan Rutta (84) – Photo by Jack Lima

Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov (10) battles for position in front of Sharks goalie Kaapo Kahkonen and defenseman Ty Emberson (6) – Photo by Jack Lima