Supporting cast comes through in OT victory for Sharks

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The evening started with an all-world light show. The fireworks came three hours later.

The San Jose Sharks got back into the Stanley Cup Final when Joonas Donskoi took a pass from Chris Tierney behind the net, wheeled around and beat Matt Murray over the left shoulder for a 3-2 overtime victory over the Penguins.

The Sharks came back from a 2-1 third-period deficit and won for the first time in five overtime games this postseason to give themselves a chance to even the series Monday night.

Donskoi, a 24-year-old rookie from Finland, has six playoff goals and a knack for scoring them when they are needed most.

“Donskoi's had an unbelievable playoff season. Tons of skill,” defenseman Justin Braun said.

Donskoi was one of many supporting players the Sharks knew would have to come through.

Much of the focus has been on the lack of production from Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski, but the Sharks rely on their depth almost as much as the Penguins. That depth came through Saturday.

Trailing 2-1 to open the third period, the Sharks got the break they needed when the Penguins' Nick Bonino took a double minor for high-sticking Thornton. That chance at the equalizer appeared to slip away, though, when their top power-play unit couldn't break through.

But as the Penguins cleared for what they thought would be the final time of the penalty kill, Thornton recovered the puck deep in his zone. His outlet pass found Donskoi, who fed Joel Ward streaking down the middle. Ward's long shot handcuffed goalie Matt Murray, bouncing off his glove and in to make it 2-2 at 8:48 — exactly four minutes after the whistle on Bonino.

That goal sent the crowd into another frenzy, one that extended through a back-and-forth overtime featuring several near-misses by the Sharks.

It was a frenzy all night, though, as SAP Center staff had big plans for the building's Stanley Cup Final debut.

For more than 10 minutes during the pregame, fans in their “Sharknado” T-shirts roared along with the light show, a heavy-metal soundtrack and a video tracing the team from its beginnings in 1991 through the historic moment Saturday.

When the Sharks announced their starting lineup, it was the second line — the one featuring Patrick Marleau, who has been here since 1997. The building was as charged as it ever has been.

John Ryan is a freelance writer.