Sharks 3, Blues 2 (2 OT)
ST. LOUIS - Martin Havlat scored his second goal of the game at 3:34 of the second overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues in the opening game of the Western Conference quarterfinal series Thursday at the Scottrade Center.
Havlat scored from the slot off a pass from Logan Couture.
San Jose goalie Antti Niemi made 40 saves, and St. Louis goalie Jaroslav Halak recorded 31 saves.
The Blues and Sharks were tied 2-2 heading into the second extra session.
St. Louis outshot the Sharks 14-8 in the first overtime and reeled off nine successive shots early in the period.
San Jose center Andrew Desjardins tied the game with 5:16 left in regulation. Known more for his physical play, Desjardins converted from the slot on a pass from Tommy Wingels. Desjardins had just four goals in 76 games during the regular season.
St. Louis had rallied from a 1-0 deficit on a pair of third-period goals by winger Patrik Berglund.
In his fifth playoff appearance, Berglund whistled a shot past Niemi at 6:31 of the third period to give the Blues their first lead of the night 2-1. Andy McDonald set up the power-play goal with a perfect drop pass.
Earlier, Burglund had tipped in a shot from the point by Kevin Shattenkirk 54 seconds into the third period to tie the game 1-1. It was the first career playoff goal for Berglund. Shattenkirk began the play with a drive from the point. Berglund deflected the low shot into the air to the right of Niemi.
The Sharks used their high-octane power play to take a 1-0 lead early in the second period.
Havlat deflected in a wrist shot from the slot by Dan Boyle at 6:02 of the second period to draw first blood.
San Jose had the second-best power play in the league during the regular season but managed just one goal in 15 tries against St. Louis in four regular-season contests.
Havlat, who was making his seventh postseason appearance, has 29 points in his last 29 playoff games.
Niemi made 20 saves over the first two periods. He robbed Alex Pietrangelo from close range on a power play attempt with 2:50 left in the second period. Alex Steen hit the post on a shorthanded attempt just under two minutes earlier.
Game Two is set for Saturday night in St. Louis.
Notes: San Jose is making its eight successive playoff appearance. ....The Blues last playoff win was a 4-1 victory over the Sharks in Game 3 of the Western Conference quarterfinals on April 12, 2004. .... St. Louis was the first team to clinch a postseason spot this season, the Sharks were the last. ...The Sharks have reached the conference final each of the last two seasons. ....St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock is 43-15-11 since taking over for Davis Payne on Nov. 8, 2011. ....Entering the series, players on the San Jose roster have totaled 1,041 playoff games, St. Louis 432.
