Just like the game began, it ended in the same fashion. To start the game, just 18 seconds in, The Jets' Bryan Little opened the scoring to start the Jets off on their eventual 3 goal lead. Little was also the one who finished the game too, 18 seconds into overtime, the first Jets OT win this season.

Between those two goal though, everything else happened. Hertll was given a five minute major penalty for a blatant hit from behind on Kulikov who also left the game, but for more severe reasons. Armia scored a pretty but lucky goal with help from Tanev. Myers scored too. The Sharks' Couture managed to get some luck too and bounce around the Jets defence in a spin move to score and then the Sharks tied it all up on a lethal PP shot from Pavelski.

Before we move onto the finish of the game it's worth revisiting the hit on Kulikov.

There was a whole lot of finger-pointing and assigning blame to how that hit happened and the resulting injury. If you think that's hit is like a car accident, I'd hate to be your insurer.

Kulikov had the puck along the boards and the logic being thrown around Twitter last night, mainly from the Sharks' point of view was that he had an obligation not to turn. Does a player along the boards, or anywhere else for that matter not have the obligation to play the puck without worry about his opposition being so reckless? I would think so, but mistakes do happen.

The mistake here is that Hertl came in from a good distance and did not prepare for how he would make contact. He saw a player straight ahead of him and did not let up. See below.

The hit that took out #NHLJets Kulikov. What do you all think? Did Kulikov turn at the very last moment? Did Hertl try to let up at all? pic.twitter.com/DkBW4jPE7j

— JetsNation (@NHLJetsNation) January 24, 2018

In the second part of that gif look at where he comes from, he does not take a stride from the circle in thus meaning he has the ability to speed check with his skates, because he is not in stride. Also look at how the puck is coming to him, he turns to take it as it moves along the boards.

Even if Kulikov doesn’t turn at last second and Hertl hits him at this moment in time, it’s still a boarding call.

Kulikov was in a vulnerable position along the boards the entire time Hertl ranged for the hit.

He could have slowed / pulled up at any point from faceoff dot in. pic.twitter.com/n6MOToFVvh

— Patrick M.™ (@generationxwing) January 24, 2018

What you see here is that even as Hertl is at the goal line Kulikov is playing the puck. He's not in the danger zone 3 feet out form the boards, he close and has to take it on his stick because he's in position. So back to the car accident comparison. Would you want people driving to avoid accidents that might happen if some one were to be careless? No it was would cause all sorts of problems due to the unpredictability of driver behaviour. Just like if Kulikov, or any other player were to look up and not play the puck for fear of being boarded. Remember, he can be hit, not boarded and Hertl chose to hit him into the boards not tie him up to challenge for position. He's at fault.

There are rules, just like on the road, for right of way in hockey and one is boarding. The player coming in has to be aware of the position the other player is in Hertl was and was also blatantly negligent in following the rules. He should get a 2-game suspension for that negligence.

The game after being tied was tilting towards the Sharks before the Jets's Armia fired a shot that may have fooled Dell simply because Tanev came in fast ahead of it. Regardless it was a 4-3 Jets lead but not for long as the Sharks tied it up 40 seconds later and the race to OT began.

Before OT it should be pointed out that against the bigger strong Sharks forwards it was fairly easy to see that the lack of centres for the Jets was giving away the middle of the ice. The Sharks controlled the play down low and through the middle so well and two of their goals were cause simply due to chaos that the Jets could not counter or control. Lowry and Scheifele cannot get back soon enough. That being said it may have been why Jack Roslovic was moved up between Wheeler and Laine to provide some natural stability to the first line.

Twitter was afire before OT, including yours truly, to not have Buff out there. Well the Buff giveth and the Buff taketh. Last night he gave with a gorgeous rush against Brent Burns. He held off Burns and moved back behind the net trying a wrap around which went past Dell. Fortunately Little was right there to put it in the net before Dell and the Sharks knew what happened. 4-3 Jets and their first OT win.

Onto Anaheim and curious to see how Maurice manages his centres with the deep and feisty Ducks. Still not word on Kulikov's status.

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