Red Wings 4, Sharks 3
Tomas Holmstrom completed a third-period comeback at 13:52 and Jimmy Howard made 39 saves as the third-seeded Detroit Red Wings staved off elimination with a 4-3 road victory over the second-seeded San Jose Sharks in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday.
Niklas Kronwall notched a goal and an assist, fellow defenseman Jonathan Ericsson and Dan Cleary also scored and Pavel Datsyuk collected three assists for the Red Wings, who look to even the series when they host Game 6 on Tuesday.
With the game even at 3-3, Datsyuk made a backhand pass from the left faceoff circle to captain Nicklas Lidstrom, who unleashed a slap shot from the point. While screening Antti Niemi, Holmstrom tipped the puck into the net for his third goal of the playoffs.
Devin Setoguchi, Joe Pavelski and Calder Trophy finalist Logan Couture scored while Niemi stopped 18 shots for the Sharks, who outshot the Red Wings by a 42-22 margin.
San Jose controlled play early and built a 2-0 lead on goals by Setoguchi and Pavelski.
Shortly after Niemi robbed Ericsson with a great glove save, Setoguchi tipped defenseman Dan Boyle's shot from the blue line between Howard's pads with 2:42 remaining in the first period for his fourth goal of the series. With 4:28 left in the second, Pavelski chipped a pass from Ryane Clowe past Howard during a 2-on-1 for his 20th career playoff tally.
Kronwall halved the deficit 53 seconds later with a shot from the right circle, but Couture gave the Sharks a 3-1 advantage 54 seconds into the third with a backhander during a breakaway.
Detroit refused to fold, however, as Ericsson beat Niemi from alone in the slot at 3:43 and Cleary banged in a loose puck at the right post just 1:46 later, tying the game at 3-3.