SAN JOSE, Calif. _ The Sharks didn't need a miraculous comeback Wednesday. They just had to hold on.
And after the drama that unfolded at SAP Center less than two weeks ago, the Sharks had another heart-stopper in Game 7 of their second round series against the Colorado Avalanche.
They found a way once again.
Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist in his dramatic return to the lineup and Joonas Donskoi recorded his first goal since Jan. 8 that proved to be the game-winner as the Sharks beat the Avalanche 3-2 to win the series four-games-to-three and advance to the Western Conference final for the second time in four years.
The Sharks will face the St. Louis Blues in the west final in a series that will begin later this week in San Jose, Calif.
Left for dead when they were in this same position two weeks ago, down three goals in Game 7 and down 3-1 in the series, the Sharks are now halfway to their goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to San Jose.
A huge swing in momentum went in the Sharks' favor midway through the second period, as it appeared the Avalanche had tied the game at the 7:49 mark.
After Barclay Goodrow had the puck stripped from him by Colorado center Derick Brassard, Nathan MacKinnon chased it down in the corner to the left of the Sharks net. He fed the puck in front to an open Colin Wilson, who beat Jones for what appeared to be his third goal of this series.
But the Sharks challenged the goal, believing that Gabriel Landeskog was offside on the other side of the ice while he was making a change. After a review, the NHL's Situation Room determined that Landeskog was inside the blue line before the puck had crossed into the Sharks zone.
Less than five minutes later, the Sharks took advantage of a ghastly Avalanche turnover inside their own zone to take a 3-1 lead. Donskoi collected the puck after taking a pass from Brent Burns, circled behind the Avalanche net, and fired the puck up high to beat Philipp Grubauer at the 12:37 mark of the second period.
The arena erupted when it was announced Pavelski's line would take the opening faceoff. The Avalanche started the game with their big three _ Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen.
When Pavelski scored at the 5:57 mark of the first period, the building got even louder, as he redirected a shot from Brent Burns from inside the blue line past Philipp Grubauer for a 1-0 Sharks lead. Pavelski then assisted on Tomas Hertl's goal at the 11:35 mark for a two-goal San Jose advantage, and drew an interference call on Ian Cole just 24 seconds later to set up the Sharks' second power play of the first period.
The Sharks were unable to capitalize on either try with the man-advantage as Colorado hung around. The Avalanche then got a huge lift just before intermission, as Mikko Rantanen redirected a Samuel Girard shoot with 6.8 seconds left in the first.
