060516Donskoi1

DONSKOI, SHARKS CUT SERIES DEFICIT IN HALF WITH OVERTIME WIN
Joonas Donskoi (1-1-2) assisted on the tying goal midway through the third period and scored
at 12:18 of overtime
to help the San Jose Sharks defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Sharks trimmed the Penguins lead in the best-of-7 series to 2-1 and won the the first-ever Stanley Cup Final game in San Jose.
* Donskoi became the sixth rookie to score an overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Final and the second to do so in as many games:

Overtime Goals by Rookies, Stanley Cup Final History
Joonas Donskoi (SJS): Game 3 in 2016 vs. PIT
Conor Sheary (PIT): Game 2 in 2016 vs. SJS
Brian Skrudland (MTL): Game 2 in 1986 at CGY^
Jacques Lemaire (MTL): Game 1 in 1968 at STL
Jimmy Peters (MTL): Game 2 in 1946 vs. BOS
Alf Pike (NYR): Game 1 in 1940 vs. TOR
^ Fastest overtime goal in Stanley Cup Playoffs history (0:09)

* Via Elias, Donskoi and Pittsburgh's Conor Sheary became the second pair of rookies to score overtime goals in consecutive games within a series (of any round) in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. That feat also was achieved by Max McNab (Detroit Red Wings) and Gerry Plamondon (Montreal Canadiens) in Games 1 and 2, respectively, of the 1949 Semifinals.

* Donskoi also became the fourth rookie in Sharks history to score an overtime goal during the postseason. The others: Andrei Zyuzin (1998), Niko Dimitrakos (2004) and Benn Ferriero (2011).

* Donskoi had his second game-winning goal of the playoffs (21 GP) after totaling one such goal during the regular season (76 GP). He also scored the series-clinching goal in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round at the Los Angeles Kings.

* Donskoi shares first among rookies with six goals this postseason and ranks second with 12 points. His six goals are one shy of the Sharks record for a rookie in one playoff year, set by Logan Couture in 2011 (7).
SATURDAY'S RESULTHome Team in Caps
SAN JOSE 3, Pittsburgh 2 (OT) - PIT leads 2-1

STANLEY CUP FINAL REMAINS CLOSELY CONTESTED AFFAIR
The Sharks and Penguins played their third consecutive one-goal game to open the Stanley Cup Final, including the second straight that required overtime:

* The Sharks and Penguins have been tied or within one goal for 95.3 percent of total playing time thus far during the series (185:39 of 194:53). San Jose has not led at any point in the first three games.

* Overall, 13 of the past 15 games in the Stanley Cup Final have been decided by one goal dating to the sixth and final game in 2013.

* This marked the fourth time in the past five years that multiple games in the Stanley Cup Final have required overtime (also 2012, 2013 and 2014).

HOME TEAMS CONTINUE DOMINANCE
* The Sharks improved to 8-2 at SAP Center this postseason. They and the Penguins (9-3) are a combined 17-5 record on home ice during the playoffs; the other 14 teams collectively went 29-37.

* Home teams improved to 33-13 in the Stanley Cup Final since 2009, including 3-0 in this series.

* California-based teams improved to 12-1 at home in the Stanley Cup Final since 2003 (ANA: 6-0, LAK: 5-1, SJS: 1-0).

DID YOU KNOW?
With San Jose's victory, there will not be a sweep in any round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs (15 total series).

Only two other playoff years have not featured a sweep since all four rounds went to the best-of-7 format in 1987: 1991 and 2002.

LOOSE PUCKS
The Penguins outshot the Sharks 42-26, the 12th consecutive game they have outshot their opponent. Pittsburgh owns a 455-310 shots advantage in that span, including a 113-74 margin during the Stanley Cup Final . . . Sharks defenseman Justin Braun scored for the second straight game, a first in his NHL career (regular season and playoffs, 412 GP) . . . Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy (1-1-2) had his first career multi-point game in the postseason (55 GP) . . . Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (40 SV) improved to 8-2 on home ice this postseason (1.74 GAA, .938 SV%, 2 SO) . . . ICYMI:
Click here
for an all-access look at Game 2 between the Sharks and Penguins . . . Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch
opened the doors to the Sharks' locker room
prior to Game 3 . . . Center Casey Cizikas
agreed to a five-year contract
with the New York Islanders. . . The Kings signed defenseman Brayden McNabb to
a two-year contract
. . . The NHL Broadcasters Association and Professional Hockey Writers Association announced that Sam Rosen and Bob Verdi will receive
the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award
, respectively.

2016 NHL COMBINE CONCLUDES IN BUFFALO
The 2016 NHL Scouting Combine, featuring No. 1-ranked European skater Auston Matthews as well as 113 more of the top draft-eligible players for this year's draft, concluded Saturday with fitness testing in Buffalo.
Click here
for the top 25 scores from each test.
ICYMI: No. 4-ranked North American skater Jakob Chychrun
penned a blog about his experience during the fitness testing
.
ICYMI: PANTHERS UNVEIL NEW LOGO, UNIFORMS
The Panthers unveiled a new logo and uniforms during a special event at BB&T Center on Thursday.
Click here
for complete details.
SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY'S ACTIONAll Times Eastern
Pittsburgh @ San Jose, 8 p.m., PIT leads 2-1, NBC, CBC, TVA Sports
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