Sharks steal Game 3 in OT

Erik Karlsson scored 5:23 into overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final.

The Sharks’ victory was surrounded by controversy, with the winning play not subject to video review, it looked to have been a hand pass by Timo Meier.

“I didn’t really see it,” Karlsson said when asked if he saw a hand pass. “I thought Nyquist got it right in front of the net there, and I just kept myself available.”

The Blues were frustrated but said they knew it wasn’t going to overturned. Forward David Perron added, “Did it appear to be a hand pass? It was, but lets move forward, and that what we’ll try to do here in the next 24 hours…. We’re a really good team in here.”

Karlsson had opened the scoring in the first period, before Joe Thornton scored twice, and Logan Couture equalized late in the third to send the game to overtime. Martin Jones made 28 saves. 

It was Couture‘s 14th of the playoffs, tying Joe Pavelski (2016) for most in a single postseason in Sharks history. It was also Thornton‘s first multigoal game in the playoffs after 176 games. At 39 years and 317 days he became the oldest player in NHL history with a multigoal game in the postseason, passing Jeremy Roenick, who was 38 years, 96 days when he scored for San Jose in Game 7 of the 2008 Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Perron scored twice, Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored, Colton Parayko had three assists, and Jordan Binnington made 27 saves for the Blues, who twice rallied from two goals down; falling behind 2-0 in the first and 3-1 early in the second.

Perron‘s goal ended an 0-for-18 drought for the Blues power play dating back to Game 4 of the second round against the Dallas Stars.

The hosts lost defenseman Vince Dunn in the first period after he was struck in the mouth by a Brenden Dillon shot. Head Coach Craig Berube said Dunn was getting looked at after the game and there would be an update in the coming days.

ALL TIMES U.S. EASTERN