May 18, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) is congratulated by defenseman Brent Burns (88) and center Scott Gomez (23) after scoring the game-winning goal against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of game three of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Logan’s Run To Victory- Logan Couture’s game winning goal 89 seconds into the first overtime period lifted the San Jose Sharks to a 2-1 victory of the Los Angeles Kings in Game 3 of their best of seven Western Conference Semi-Final Series. The Sharks, facing a 0-3 series deficit with a loss benefited from the very sequence that cost them Game 2, only this time it was the Kings who were being escorted to the penalty box towards the end of the third period. With 41 seconds remaining in regulation, Robyn Regehr was called for tripping. With just 4.5 seconds remaining, the Kings’ Trevor Lewis was called for goalie interference when the Los Angeles had a huge short handed opportunity that was wasted when Lewis threw an elbow at Niemi. The Sharks would have 1:18 of a 5 on 3 man advantage on the power play. If that failed, team teal would still have 37 extra seconds of power play time to start the extra period. On the five on three power play to start the overtime, the Sharks were almost trying to be too fine with the puck and look for the perfect pass before taking any shots, a very conservative approach given the gravity of what was at stake. The five on three would expire with the Sharks getting just on shot on goal on Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick. However, the Sharks by this time had picked up some level of momentum and Couture was in the right place at the right time and was able to hammer the game winning goal past Quick getting the rebound of a scoring attempt by Patrick Marleau. The win is huge for the Sharks being a must win against a team that was just itching to bury them in an 0-3 hole.

Opening Act- The Sharks opened the game being the aggressor and it would pay off early as team teal was able to draw the Kings’ Jake Muzzin into a penalty. Muzzin trying to clear the puck out of the Kings’ defensive zone cleared the rubber biscuit over the glass putting team teal on an early power play. The Sharks wasted no time at all as off of the face off Joe Pavelski got the puck over to Patrick Marleau. Once in possession of the puck Marleau the fed Dan Boyle at the point. Boyle then drilled a 50 foot slap shot that beat Quick giving the Sharks a huge jump out of the gate at 1-0. The Sharks would continue to press Quick but he soon would settle in and be his usual difficult to score on self. The Sharks may have gotten a little over confident in their aggressiveness and it would cost them as they got careless with the puck in their own defensive zone half way into the opening period. Shortly after a Sharks power play had ended unsuccessfully, goalie Antti Niemi left his net area to retrieve a loose puck would clear the puck over to Brad Stuart. Once Stuart had the puck he tried to clear it down ice and instead accidentally put it in an area where the Kings’ Tyler Toffoli intercepted it near the Sharks net. Toffoli immediately launched a backhanded shot that beat Niemi to tie the game.

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May 16, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Members of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate the game-tying goal by right wing Dustin Brown (23) in the third period of game two of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the San Jose Sharks at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

A Nightmare Collapse- This could very well be be one of the worst “final moments” collapses in San Jose Sharks history. Los Angeles Kings’ Captain Dustin Brown and Trevor Lewis scored two power play goals in a 22 second span inside of the games final two minutes, lifting the Kings to a shocking 4-3 victory over the Sharks Thursday Night. With the win, the Kings take a 2-0 series lead setting up a must win scenario for the Sharks in Game 3 Saturday night. The Sharks drew two penalties at the worst possible time when Brad Stuart and Marc-Edouard Vlasic were sent to the penalty box with 22 seconds of each other with 2:41 remaining and team teal nursing a 3-2 lead. Stuart was called for tripping, and the Vlasic for delay of game for clearing the puck out of play and over the glass. The replay indicated that the puck had grazed the Kings’ Jeff Carter’s shoulder. The game officials either did not see that or just plain ignored it. The Sharks were down on a 5 on 3 man disadvantage at the worst possible time with the price ending up being Game Two and quite possibly their season. Brown tied the game when he was able to beat Scott Hannan to the puck in front of the Sharks goal crease. Still stunned from Brown’s game tying goal, the Sharks allowed the Kings back up the ice allowing Lewis’ scoring opportunity. Lewis scored the game winner when Sharks goalie Antti Niemi was caught out of position. The Sharks penalty kill, which has gotten them to this point in the season failed miserably Thursday night as three of the four Kings’ goals came from the power play.

The Sharks and Kings entered the third period tied 2-2, with team teal finally getting the puck past Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick twice in the second period. The third period was largely controlled by the Kings who for about a good three quarters of the period completely controlled the puck and kept it away from the Sharks. Yet it would be the Sharks who would break the tie when Vlasic scored his first career playoff goal, being the last to touch the puck before the rubber biscuit was accidentally knocked into the net by Quick and his teammate Colin Fraser. The goal came with 11:04 remaining in the third period as the Sharks were able to create chaos around the Kings net for one of the few times in the final period.

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Apr 9, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; San Jose Sharks left wing Raffi Torres (13) waits on a face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Columbus defeated San Jose 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres has been suspended for the remainder of the Western Conference Semifinals for an illegal hit to the head of Los Angeles Kings forward Jarret Stollduring Game 1 of the series in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 14, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 19:02 of the second period. Torres was assessed a minor penalty for charging. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Torres is considered a repeat offender.

For a full explanation of the decision, complete with video, please click on the following link: http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=249243.

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