Sharks take Game 1 in OT 3-2.
Karlsson’s goal wins it in OT as Sharks go up 1-0
EDMONTON, Alberta — Melker Karlsson scored the biggest goal of his career Wednesday night, burying a wrist shot from near the top of the circle to give the Sharks a stirring 3-2 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL playoff opener for both teams.
Karlsson’s goal came 3:22 into overtime, as the Sharks erased a two-goal Edmonton lead in the first period to take a 1-0 advantage in the best-ofseven series that continues Friday with Game 2 in Edmonton.
Paul Martin and Joel Ward also scored for the Sharks, who, without their No. 1 center in Joe Thornton, grabbed home-ice advantage.
“We felt good,” going into overtime, Karlsson said. “I think after the first period we got it going pretty good. Stuck with it the whole game and got rewarded in the end.”
The Sharks had a uneven first period but found a rhythm in the second, with Ward’s power-play goal helping to
change the momentum.
Joonas Donskoi collected a puck behind the Oilers’ net that had been rimmed around the boards by MarcEdouard Vlasic. Donskoi then carried the puck in front and, with a backhand pass, found Ward for a tapin goal at the 1:43 mark to cut Edmonton’s lead to one.
“Gained some momentum. We were down by two. I thought we were playing well,” Ward said. “They had two chances, a couple good bounces. I thought we were still playing well, we just needed a little bit of a lift. It was good to kind of put one home and start it off for the fellas.”
The Sharks largely dominated the second period, outshooting the Oilers 9-4. Their work paid off with the tying goal at the 5:22 mark of the third period. Once again, the play came from behind the Oilers’ net.
With four skaters aside, Tomas Hertl fought off a check from Oilers defenseman Kris Russell, took the puck in front and got a shot on Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot. Martin came from the back side and tapped in the tying goal.
Hertl had his best game in recent memory, with seven shots on goal and a total of 13 directed toward the net. He also won 11 of 15 faceoffs, helping to take away some of the sting of losing Thornton, who remained out of the lineup with a left knee injury.
“I thought he was a beast out there tonight. I thought he was awesome,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said of Hertl. “Big man, this is his type of hockey. He was dominant. Need more of that from him.”
The Sharks continued to apply pressure throughout the third period. By the end of regulation time, they were outshooting the Oilers 36-17, including a staggering 16-3 advantage in shots in the final 20 minutes.
“That was one of the things, you’re going to be up a goal going into the third, you’re going to be tied, you’re going to be down a goal,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “Those are positions you’ve just got to stay patient, stay with the game plan.”
The sold-out crowd, which was already revved up from seeing its first Oilers playoff game in 11 years, didn’t need long to be sent into a frenzy.
The Oilers struck for two first-period goals in the game’s first 17:07, with Oscar Klefbom scoring at even strength and Milan Lucic connecting on the power play to give Edmonton a 20 lead.
Connor McDavid, the NHL’s leading point-producer, assisted on Lucic’s goal. But the Sharks had to be happy with their overall play against the player who is likely to win the Hart Trophy this season as the league’s MVP.
The game marked the return of Logan Couture, who had missed the last seven games of the regular season after he took a puck to the face in a March 25 game with Nashville.
Couture had been ramping things up over the course of the last week and went through a more physical practice Tuesday to get ready for the playoff opener.
Couture, though, had yet to go through a game situation where the Oilers wanted set a certain physical tone to begin the series. He was elbowed by Eric Gryba midway at the 12:32 mark the second period, one of seven minor penalties Edmonton committed in Game 1.
“If they’re going to run around and make hits like that, they’re going to the penalty box and I’m sure (Oilers coach) Todd (McLellan’s) not too happy with that,” Couture said. “So, it’s part of the game, part of hockey getting hit and they took a lot of penalties tonight.”