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Logan Couture plays savior as Sharks even series vs. Golden Knights

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The San Jose Sharks gave up their lead late in the third period but won Game 2 in double overtime to even their series with the Golden Knights.

They needed double overtime, but the San Jose Sharks evened their series with the Vegas Golden Knights after a 4-3 victory in Game 2.

Logan Couture’s fourth goal of the playoffs, and San Jose’s third of the game following an offensive zone face-off win, was the difference 5:13 into the second overtime.

What allowed the Sharks that extra time and space was the fact that Golden Knights defenseman Jon Merrill was sitting in the penalty box serving a hooking minor. Couture’s goal was San Jose’s second power play tally of the game coming on their seventh man advantage of Game 2.

That lack of discipline caused an early Vegas lead to slip away, and eventually cost them the game.
[NBC’s Stanley Cup Playoff Hub]

Twenty-six seconds into the second period, William Karlsson scored his second goal of the game and it was looking like another Golden Knights rout over Sharks following their 7-0 Game 1 win. But then Vegas got sloppy and undisciplined, and San Jose used it to slow them down.

Ninety seconds after Karlsson’s second goal, the Knights’ second-period penalty parade began with a David Perron holding the stick call. Four seconds later, the Sharks comeback began with the first of Brent Burns’ two goals to cut the lead to 2-1. Nine minutes later Couture would record his first of the night and Burns followed that up minutes later to flip the score to 3-2 in San Jose’s favor.

Vegas would give San Jose four power plays in the second period, stunting any positive momentum they were building throughout that middle 20 minutes. The Sharks would only capitalize once with the extra man in the second period — Burns’ first goal — but the Golden Knights’ inability to be careful with their sticks would be their downfall in Game 2.

It almost turned out differently for Vegas, however. The Golden Knights believed they had earned a 2-0 series lead after Jonathan Marchessault’s goal late in the first overtime, but the NHL Situation Room determined that he had interfered with Sharks netminder Martin Jones before pouncing on a rebound in front.

“Win or lose, midnight is a new day,” he said afterward. “We all have to reset.”

Game 3 is Monday night in San Jose (10 p.m. ET, NBCSN).

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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.