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Sharks tie series with OT win, doubts still linger

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It’s just one game and one goal, but it may have made all the difference in the world.

As the clock was winding down on the San Jose Sharks in the third period against the Colorado Avalanche, facing a one-goal deficit and the wall named Craig Anderson, instantly thoughts across the hockey-verse turned to what would be next for the Sharks. If they dropped both games at home to start their first round series against the Avalanche, there’s no telling what might have at happened in the Shark Tank. The fans might have pulled it to pieces.

As it was, we were already discussing the offseason moves that might be ahead for the Sharks.

With 32 seconds remaining, Joe Pavelski scored perhaps the biggest goal of his career and the biggest one for the Sharks in a very, very long time to tie the game 5-5. The Sharks had been building momentum throughout the third period, and used that last minute goal to propel themselves into overtime. Devin Setouguchi put the finishing touches on one heck of a comeback by the Sharks, as his power play goal 5:22 into overtime won the game and tied the series 1-1.

Despite the big win for the Sharks, in which they tied the score five times before ultimately winning, there’s going to be some questions moving forward and it’s all going to start in net. Evgeny Nabokov has not played well in the first two games, and if it weren’t some incredibly weak defensive play by the Avalanche in the third period and overtime there’s almost no question that he shouldn’t start next game.

As it is, he allowed five goals on just 22 shots (the Sharks had 52 shots on Craig Anderson), and as Steve Lepore said perfectly on Twitter: “Craig Anderson is goaltending. Nabokov is standing in front of a net.”

I’m also certain there will be some hell raised by the Avalanche on a number of missed or blown calls by the officials, especially on questionable hits, and I’m certain they won’t be happy with the ticky-tack penalty called in overtime that led to the Sharks goal. We’ll have more on that in the morning, for certain.

For now, the Sharks enjoy a big win. They shouldn’t rest easy, however, as they are still playing like a team that is serious trouble of being upset, once more.