SAN JOSE, Calif. _ The San Jose Sharks erased a three-goal deficit in the first period of Game 2 in their playoff series with the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. They didn't have an answer when they fell behind for a second time.
The Sharks allowed a go-ahead, power play goal to Mark Stone 1:31 into the second period and a shorthanded goal to William Karlsson 7:35 into the third as the Golden Knights earned a 5-3 win at SAP Center to knot the first round series at one win apiece.
Games 3 and 4 are at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively.
An unforgettable first period saw the Golden Knights take a 3-0 lead and chase Sharks starting goalie Martin Jones by the 6:11 mark of the second period. Jones allowed goals to Cody Eakin, Colin Miller and Max Pacioretty on just seven shots before he was pulled in favor of Aaron Dell.
The Sharks, though, responded with a comeback for the ages.
Logan Couture and Erik Karlsson both scored in a 39 second span to cut the Golden Knights lead to 3-2 with 2:22 left in the first period.
With the SAP Center crowd still buzzing, Joe Thornton redirected a Brenden Dillon pass past Marc-Andre Fleuru with 52 seconds left in the first period to tie the game.
The Sharks thought they taken a 4-3 lead 51 seconds into the second period, as a Brent Burns' shot from inside the blue line found the back of the net. But officials ruled that Couture had interfered with Fleury. The goal was disallowed and Couture was assessed a minor penalty.
Vegas scored on the ensuing power play, as Stone beat Dell with a wrist shot at the 1:31 mark.
Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was injured early in the second period and did not return after he blocked a shot by Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore.
Couture left the game after he blocked a shot by Golden Knights center Cody Eakin with 11:48 left in the second. He retuned for the start of the third period.
