SAN JOSE, Calif. — The fans in San Jose waited 25 years for their first Stanley Cup finals. A few extra minutes for an overtime victory wouldn’t be a problem.
Joonas Donskoi scored 12:18 into overtime after Joel Ward tied it midway through the third period, and the Sharks bounced back from two straight road losses to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 3 on Saturday night.
GAME 4
WHO: Penguins at Sharks
WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday
SERIES: Penguins lead, 2-1
TV: NBC
Justin Braun also scored and Martin Jones made 40 saves to help the Sharks cut Pittsburgh’s series lead to 2-1 with their first win ever in the finals. Game 4 is Monday night in San Jose.
Ben Lovejoy scored one goal and assisted on Patric Hornqvist’s goal that gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead heading into the third. But Matt Murray let Ward’s tying goal in off his glove and then allowed the winner as Pittsburgh lost for just the second time in 51 games when leading after two periods this season.
Murray made 23 saves but couldn’t stop Donskoi’s shot that gave the Sharks their first win in five overtime games this postseason.
In an overtime controlled mostly by Pittsburgh, San Jose got the only goal. Donskoi got possession behind the net and skated out front, where he beat Murray high to the stick side, setting off a wild celebration in an arena that was full of tension all night.
Trailing 2-1 entering the third, the Sharks’ season was on the line because only one team has ever recovered from an 0-3 deficit to win the Cup finals. They got their chance when Nick Bonino was sent off for a double-minor for high-sticking Joe Thornton.
San Jose generated good chances on the four-minute power play, but it seemed like the Penguins would kill it off as the clock ran down. But just before Bonino stepped out of the box, Ward beat Murray with a blast from the high slot that deflected off the goalie’s glove and in for the equalizer.
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