In Denver, the San Jose Sharks reclaimed home ice advantage with a 4-2 win over the Avalanche on Tuesday night.
Logan Couture struck for a hat trick in the win as the Sharks needed to fend off an Avs rally from a 0-2 deficit.
“I’d like to lie and say it doesn’t mean something, but it was special,” Couture said.
Martin Jones made 25 saves in win – file photo by Jack Lima
San Jose leads the series 2-1.
Martin Jones was sharp all night and made 25 saves to get the win.
Timo Meier and Couture scored late in the first period to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead heading into the middle frame.
Nathan MacKinnon scored in the second period and r Matt Nieto scored midway through the third period to get the Avs even.
“Down 2-0, we found a way to tie it up,” MacKinnon said. “That was nice and we kind of threw it away. We got desperate and started to play well. Our power play wasn’t great tonight either (0-for-4), so that kind of hurt us.”
But Couture struck for his second just 65 seconds later for a 3-2 lead.
“We haven’t won (the series), so I don’t care what my numbers get to be,” Couture said. “I could go this whole playoffs and have zero points, and if we win the Stanley Cup I’ll be the happiest guy in this room.”
Couture added his third night on a empty-net goal.
“He’s clutch. Big games, big moments in games, he’s a guy that every time you can rely on. He was huge again tonight,” Jones said.
Logan Couture picked up hat trick in Game 3 win – file photo by Jack Lima
The Avs’ rally did not seem to rattle the Sharks who maintained a steady game and replied with the Couture goals.
“I loved our response,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoe said. “It was even-keeled. It was just get out there and let’s get back at this. We knew at that point it was 2-2, but we deserved to be in a different spot than that. We knew what was working for us and we needed to get back to that.”
[WATCH: Sharks vs. Avalanche Game 3 highlights | Complete series coverage]
Philipp Grubauer made 27 saves in the loss.
“He’s (MacKinnon) working, he’s got a hunger to his game right now, and he’s working at the point of the puck and he’s working away from it. He wants the puck,” Avs head coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s one of those guys, he is trying to get available and working for the puck all the time because he wants it. He wants to be a difference-maker. We need a few more guys to follow suit with that.”
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