Sharks jump on Golden Knights to stay alive in series
Tomas Hertl sets the tone with early goal for San jose
Tomas Hertl provided the fast start and Martin Jones delivered the key saves that helped the San Jose Sharks flip the script in their playoff series against Vegas.
"It's huge, in our building too because right away from the first minute we get the fans behind our back," Hertl said. "They helped us. They were cheering all game. It's huge. ... Finally we have a great start."
Hertl's early goal gave San Jose its first lead since Game 1 and ended a run of three straight games where the Sharks fell behind less than 90 seconds into the game. That helped steady the team and the Sharks delivered a complete performance to send the series back to Vegas for Game 6 on Sunday with the Golden Knights leading 3-2.
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Logan Couture, Barclay Goodrow and Joe Pavelski also scored but the key was the fast start and the strong play from Jones, who had 30 saves after getting pulled twice in the previous three games.
Jones had allowed 11 goals on 54 shots in those games but coach Peter DeBoer showed confidence to go back to him once again. That proved justified when he robbed Reilly Smith's attempt at the tying goal in the third period on a 2-on-1 after Vegas had cut it to 3-2 on Jonathan Marchessault's power-play goal.
The Sharks then responded on a power play of their own when Marchessault was called for high-sticking Couture in the face. The referees initially didn't make a call before huddling together after Couture rushed to the locker room holding his face.
Hertl capitalized when he knocked a rebound past Marc-Andre Fleury to make it 4-2.
"Big players are needed in big games and that was as big a game as we've had all year and I thought he was the best player on the ice," DeBoer said.
Pavelski sealed the win with an empty-net goal.
Fleury made 24 saves after a shutout in Game 4. Smith scored earlier in the game on a power play for the Golden Knights, who were hoping to eliminate the Sharks on their home ice for the second straight year.
"We knew they would play their best game of the series tonight and they did, credit to them," forward Max Pacioretty said. "Wipe it clean and just worry about the next one."