Sharks Narrow Penguins Lead to 2-1, Hertl Misses Game
Saturday night the San Jose Sharks proved they are not done yet when they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime 3-2 to narrow the Penguins lead to 2-1 in the best of seven NHL Stanley Cup Finals.
The Sharks were able win even though they played without Tomas Hertl one of their best forwards and arguably playing the best hockey on the team thus far during the Stanley Cup Finals.
Hertl is recovering from an injury to his lower body, head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters on Saturday prior to the game in San Jose.
DeBoer told reporters that Hertl would miss Game 3 but did not say if he would miss Game 4 scheduled for Monday June 6 at the SAP Center in San Jose. DeBoer called Hertl his best player during Games 1 and 2 of the series.
Hertl usually plays on the top line of the Sharks with Joe Pavelski the captain and Joe Thornton. A native of Prague, the 22-year old Hertl has scored six goals and added five assists during the postseason and played well in both losses to Pittsburgh in Games 1 and 2.
On Wednesday, during Game 2, Hertl was hit hard by Patric Hornqvist a Penguins forward during the third period.
Hertl did skate Friday wearing a tracksuit prior to the San Jose practice but left before his teammates took the ice.
Melker Karlsson took Hertl’s place on the top line for the Sharks.
The absence of Hertl was not felt as much thanks to the strong play of free agents Joel Ward and Joonas Donskoi.
Ward’s slap shot tied the game in the third period with 11:28 left to play. Donskoi scored after 12:18 was played of overtime that is now considered the most important goal in the history of the Sharks franchise, at least for the time being.
Thornton picked up his play in Hertl’s absence by recording 2 assists and almost ended the game in OT with two good chances on net.
Also coming up big in Game 3 was Martin Jones the Sharks goaltender who stopped 40 of the 42 shots he faced on the night.
Hertl could return for Game 4 on Monday and the Sharks are back in the series as they can reduce the series to a best of three with a win on Monday.
