PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins took another step toward the final prize of the season with a 2-1, overtime win over the San Jose Sharks Wednesday night.
Conor Sheary scored the winner with just 2:35 gone in the extra session.
“It’s surreal,” said Sheary, a 23-year-old forward playing in his first NHL playoffs. “Important moment. Most important, we got a win and we’re up 2-0 right now. It’s a good momentum shift for us.”
The win means the Sharks head home with a 0-2 deficit to climb out.
Sheary was just the fifth rookie in Stanley Cup Final records to score an overtime, game-winning goal.
“What separates NHL players from the rest of the world is their ability to continue to bring a consistency of play that comes to be the expectation,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think Conor has learned that. He’s not the only one. The young players, I think they all go through that evolution. I think for those reasons, we’re seeing him produce the way he’s playing right now.”
Martin Jones made 28 saves in the loss and was screened off on the winner.
The Sharks have lost all four of the overtime games they have played this post season.
“There’s no trend,” Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said. “In overtime, it can go either way. Just hasn’t gone our way. You can turn stats any way you want them.”
Heading home down 0-2 the Sharks need to find another gear.
“We’ve definitely shown that we can play,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “We’ve got another level and we’re going to have to find it here. It goes to this next game. They’ve done their job here at home, but we’ve got to go win the next one.”
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