Logan Couture's contract extension with the San Jose Sharks is worth $30 million over five years, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Couture and the Sharks announced the agreement early Tuesday morning. The contract, which starts with the 2014-15 season, can't be officially signed until free agency opens July 5. It's a well-deserved raise for the 24-year-old Couture, who scored 21 goals and 37 points in 48 regular-season games and then added five goals and 11 points in 11 postseason contests.

The San Jose Sharks have agreed to terms on a contract extension with center Logan Couture.
TSN and ESPN.com reported Monday night that the deal is a five- or six-year extension. The contract cannot be officially signed until July 5. A first-round pick by the Sharks in 2007, the 24-year-old Couture has been San Jose's top goal-scorer the past two years. In 48 games last season, the Guelph, Ont, native scored 21 goals and added 16 assists. In 232 career NHL games, he's scored 89 goals and 78 assists with a plus- 31 rating.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson hinted that his team might sign Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture to contract extensions this summer.
"We have a lot of flexibility going forward. We have lots of flexibility in two years, which ties into some of the players that you're asking about us signing this summer," Wilson in reference to Couture and Pavelski. "We've been fortunate to have players that understand what we're trying to accomplish. We're not a team that's going to miss the playoffs for five or seven years and go into a rebuild. We don't believe in that. We want to reset on the fly, and it only works when you have players that understand what it is we're trying to accomplish, and participate in it." Couture is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2014 while Pavelski is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent at the same time. Locking them both up now would go a long way towards solidifying the core of San Jose's offense for years to come.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson hinted that his team might sign Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture to contract extensions this summer.
"We have a lot of flexibility going forward. We have lots of flexibility in two years, which ties into some of the players that you're asking about us signing this summer," Wilson in reference to Couture and Pavelski. "We've been fortunate to have players that understand what we're trying to accomplish. We're not a team that's going to miss the playoffs for five or seven years and go into a rebuild. We don't believe in that. We want to reset on the fly, and it only works when you have players that understand what it is we're trying to accomplish, and participate in it." Couture is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2014 while Pavelski is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent at the same time. Locking them both up now would go a long way towards solidifying the core of San Jose's offense for years to come.

CSNBayArea.com writer Kevin Kurz says that the Sharks' number-one priority this offseason should be giving Logan Couture a long-term deal.
The 24-year-old has a year remaining on his current deal at $3 million, but it would behoove them to get something done now, even if he's just a restricted free agent next season. Couture has developed into one of the great young stars in the game, earning an All-Star nod in 2012 and twice being a 30-goal scorer. He had 21 goals and 16 assists in 48 games this year.

San Jose Sharks executive vice president of business operations Malcolm Bordelon has left the franchise.
Bordelon will be replaced by John Tortora, who has been named the Sharks new COO. Jim Goddard will oversee Sharks Sports and Entertainment's marketing and revenue matters and report to Tortora. Meanwhile, CFO Charlie Fass and executive vice president of of business development Michael Lehr are also gone. GM Doug Wilson's role has not been impacted by these changes.

Coach Todd McLellan has signed an extension with the Sharks, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
McLellan has been the team's bench boss for the last five seasons, going 220-108-48, having reached the playoffs in each season, advancing to the Western Conference finals twice and winning the Pacific Division three times. Even after an up-and-down campaign and some in-season trades, the Sharks still posted a 25-16-7 record, losing to the Kings in seven games of their second-round playoff series.

The Sharks have signed an extension with coach Todd McLellan, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
McLellan has been the team's bench boss for the last five seasons, going 220-108-48, having reached the Western Conference finals twice and winning the Pacific Division three times. Even after some in-season trades, the Sharks still posted a 25-16-7 record this year, losing to the Kings in seven games of their second-round playoff series.

The Sharks signed Swedish forward Petter Emanuelsson to a two-year deal.
The 21-year-old has spent most of the past two years plaing in the Swedish Elite League. He had nine goals and nine assists in 54 games last season with Skelleftea.

The San Jose Sharks' home arena, formerly known as HP Pavilion, will now be called SAP Center.
SAP founder Hasso Plattner is a Sharks majority owner, so the move was logical after HP CEO Meg Whitman decided to step away from their deal. San Jose is reported to have a five year agreement with SAP. It won't matter though as everyone will probably continue to call it the "Shark Tank."

James Sheppard had one goal and three assists in 32 regular-season games with the Sharks in 2013.
He hadn't played since the 2009-10 campaign, when was a member of the Minnesota Wild, because of a major knee injury. Sheppard will be a restricted free agent next month and he should get a short-term deal to stay with the Sharks.

Jason Demers will be in need of a new contract this summer.
He is eligible for restricted free agency and will probably stay with the Sharks on a short-term deal as a depth blueliner. Demers skated in just 22 games during the lockout-shortened season and he never played more than seven straight games, as he was forced out out as a healthy scratch or due to injury.

Andrew Desjardins will be a restricted free agent this summer.
He had three points and 63 penalty minutes in 42 games during the regular season. Desjardins probably doesn't warrant a long-term commitment from the Sharks, but he should be able to get a one-year deal to stay on board with the team.

Don't be surprised if the San Jose Sharks re-sign Scott Gomez.
Gomez is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's never likely to replicate his former success offensively, but he's an added veteran presence and good guy to have in the locker room. The Sharks aren't likely to break the bank trying to get him though, so whether or not they re-sign him will be largely dependent on what Gomez thinks he's worth at this point.

T.J. Galiardi, who is a restricted free agent, wants to return to the San Jose Sharks.
Galiardi saw time on a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns in the playoffs and enjoyed his role as a top-six forward. "I want to be here. I'm not afraid to admit it at all," Galiardi said. "I'm restricted anyway, so I think chances are I'll be here unless something crazy would happen. Ever since I've found that role and responsibility and trust of the coaches, I've had a lot of fun. I think I've kind of found my place here and I don't want to have to leave already." Galiardi had five goals and 14 points in 36 regular season games and will look to hit the 40-plus point mark if he remains on the line with Thornton and Burns.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson is very supportive of his coaching staff.
"I think they've done an excellent job. All of the components of it," Wilson said. "Larry and Jimmy coming in, it makes us a complete staff that not only allows us to play the way we want to play today, it helps the younger players get ready to play. I think they did an excellent job. Very proud of the job they did." Sharks head coach Todd McLellan and the rest of the coaching staff will be back for the 2013-14 campaign. After a roller coaster regular season, the Sharks swept the Vancouver Canucks before losing in seven games to the Los Angeles Kings.

Raffi Torres would like to remain with the San Jose Sharks.
Torres is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 5 but wants to stay with the Sharks and that is fine with coach Todd McLellan. "I'm encouraged that he'd like to be back," McLellan said. "I thought he fit in extremely well into our locker room quickly, which isn't easy to do, and I believe we missed him when we needed him the most in that final series." Torres was suspended for the final six games of the Round 2 series after his hit to the head on Jarret Stoll was deemed suspendable by the NHL, although many people thought that the reputation of Torres hurt him in this case as most players would have escaped without a suspension. Nevertheless, it looks like Torres will find his way back to San Jose in time for the 2013-14 season.

There has been no decision as of yet as to whether Brent Burns will play forward or defense next season.
Burns had been a blueliner until this past season when coach Todd McLellan put him up front where he played very well. "I thought his willingness to accept that role for what was the betterment of the team, was remarkable," McLellan said. "There's not a lot of All-Star players in the league that would accept that, and give Burnzie a lot of credit for his character shining through in that moment." The Sharks will let Burns know sooner rather than later as to what they have in mind for 2013-14 as Burns stated he would like to be lighter if he will play up front and that would change his training routine in the off-season. Stay tuned as Burns could be quite valuable in fantasy pools next season if he plays with Joe Thornton as a top-six forward and still has eligibility as a defenseman in your pool

Martin Havlat sat by himself during Game 7 Tuesday.
Havlat was in the press box but away from the other Shark scratches who sat on the other side of Staples Center. Havlat was also given a temporary locker at the Sharks practice facility between the final two games of the Los Angeles series while other injured players and AHL callups had permanent lockers. It sure looks like that Havlat has played his final game for the Sharks.

Justin Braun will need surgery to repair a hand injury suffered in Finland.
Braun was injured during the lockout in December as he broke the hamate bone in his left hand that kept him out of action for five weeks, but managed to play in the Sharks' first game January 20. "The start of the year it was a little tough getting used to, I wore a pad on my hand. The last couple months, it wasn't a problem," Braun said. "The training staff did a good job keeping that in check. I'll have to go in and get some surgery next week. It's just minor. It will be quick. Then I'll get back to work." He should be fine for the start of training camp in September.

Tomas Hertl signed an entry-level deal with the Sharks on Wednesday night.
Hertl was the team's first-round pick in the 2012 draft. The 19-year-old forward had 18 goals and 30 points in 43 games in the Czech league this season.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News believes the Sharks will part ways with Martin Havlat this off-season.
He speculates that the team will try to trade him elsewhere first and if that doesn't work then he might become a candidate for an amnesty buyout. Havlat is owed $10 million over the next two seasons and he hasn't been effective, while dealing with injuries, in two years with the Sharks.

Joe Thornton had a strong 2013 playoffs despite San Jose's second-round elimination at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings.
He notched two goals and 10 points in 10 contests, but the Sharks couldn't muster much of anything against Jonathan Quick in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat. San Jose didn't a get a goal in the playoffs from their bottom-six forward group and Patrick Marleau was the team's only forward who found the back of the net in the four games in Los Angeles during the series. Thornton will shoulder some of the blame as the team's leader, but the bottom line is collectively the Sharks just weren't productive enough.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic had been playing with a hairline fracture in his right foot since Game 4.
He told ESPN and TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that his foot required freezing so that he could continue playing. "But lots of guys in this room were playing hurt, just like the Kings," Vlasic said after Tuesday night's Game 7 loss to Los Angeles. "It's no excuse."

Logan Couture suffered a sprained ankle in Game 3, but played through the injury.
The Sharks were eliminated by the Kings in seven games. Couture had a goal, no assists, and a minus-three rating in the final four games of the Sharks' playoff run. That's a noticeable decline from his earlier success in the postseason, but Couture insisted the injury didn't impact his play.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan is hoping this playoff run will help the Sharks' younger players grow.
The Sharks were eliminated in Game 7 of their second-round series by the Los Angeles Kings. "It stings," he said. "The group that we ended up with after the trade deadline could have went one way or the other. We're in transition a little bit as an organization with some of the moves we made, but I thought the way they banded together and played for each other and with each other was exceptional. It was a really positive sign for our organization, not only for the playoffs, but moving forward. It's not about one or two guys. It's about the group as a whole, and they accepted that, and we have something to build on moving forward." The Sharks have now made the playoffs for nine straight seasons without reaching the Stanley Cup finals. At the same time, the Sharks do have some emerging stars like Logan Couture and some interesting prospects that might step up in the near future like Tomas Hertl.

After losing Game 7, Joe Pavelski was able to see the positives in the Sharks' 2013 campaign.
"We had a lot of fun, especially toward the end," Pavelski said. "Guys enjoyed it, we enjoyed traveling on the road, we enjoyed it at home. There's a lot of good times from the season." Pavelski had four goals and a team-high 12 points in 11 playoff contests. With Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau approaching their mid-30s, the team will be leaning more and more on guys like Pavelski.

Antti Niemi gave the Sharks hope, but unfortunately his efforts went to waste, as San Jose was eliminated from postseason contention after dropping Game 7 to Los Angeles 2-1.
Niemi kept his team in the game with some remarkable saves in the second and third period. Unfortunately, the Sharks' offense just couldn't solve Jonathan Quick and offer Niemi support. However, not all is lost for the 29-year-old goalie; he finally lived up to his potential, and put together a Veizna caliber season. His postseason play lived up to his regular season effort, despite the disappointing second round exit. The Sharks can feel good about their goaltending situation heading into next season.

Despite a late goal from Dan Boyle and a few desperation-scoring chances down the stretch, the Sharks were unable to catch the Kings, losing 2-1 in the deciding Game 7.
Boyle brought the Sharks within one midway through the third, but the Sharks were only able to muster a few scoring chances in the latter half of the final frame. The Sharks, like the Kings at times, struggled to score this series, largely because Jonathan Quick was too hot. With another disappointing playoff result, it seems as though this Sharks' core just can't get it done in May. It wouldn't be a surprise if changes were made this offseason, especially considering Boyle, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Pavelski each have just one year remaining on their contracts.

Justin Braun is good to go after missing a large part of Game 6 and should be in the lineup Tuesday night.
Braun left during the first period and missed a decent portion of the game with what's believed to be a back injury. It sounds like the time off helped him heal and he should be good to go for Game 7.

Scott Gomez is getting ready for his 10th career Game 7.
Gomez has won the Stanley Cup twice and his 148 playoff games played is good enough for 83rd place on the NHL's all-time list. So what advice does he have for his younger teammates going into Tuesday's game against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings? "Don't suck."

Justin Braun missed a good chunk of Game 6 with a suspected back injury.
Braun absorbed a hit from Los Angeles' Jordan Nolan roughly four minutes into Sunday's game. "Sore moving the leg right away," Braun said. "They loosened it up in the back, and got ready. . Just kind of one of those freak things. It happens, I guess. It's never happened to me. It's fine now." He missed the remainder of the first period, but ended up logging 13:51 minutes in the contest.

Goaltender Antti Niemi does not get a lot of praise for some reason but his San Jose coach, Todd McLellan, went out of his way Sunday night to heap some on him.
Niemi was first-rate in a 2-1 win for San Jose over the Los Angeles Kings Sunday night as the Sharks tied their Western playoff series 3-3. He turned away 24 of 25 Los Angeles shots. But McLellan added: "I thought Nemo was very solid. He's a calming influence for us. Any time we made mistakes, he was there. He settled things down and got us whistles that we needed. Very seldom is that talked about. He was very good at managing the game from the crease."

Th NHL playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks is the 17th to reach a seventh game with the home team winning all six games - but in those seventh games, the road teams have an 8-8 record to this point.
Joe Pavelski, naturally enough, is hoping the Sharks tilt that record in favor of the visitors. "We wanted this opportunity at Game 7 and we earned it (last night)," the Sharks forward said after the game. "It's great playing in this place and now we'll bottle it up and take it with us."

Th NHL playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks is the 17th to reach a seventh game with the home team winning all six games - but in those seventh games, the road teams have an 8-8 record to this point.
Joe Pavelski, naturally enough, is hoping the Sharks tilt that record in favor of the visitors. "We wanted this opportunity at Game 7 and we earned it (last night)," the Sharks forward said after the game. "It's great playing in this place and now we'll bottle it up and take it with us."

Whether by design or will, the Los Angeles Kings have tended to dominate the final five minutes or so of nearly every period in their Western playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.
That changed Sunday night during the Sharks 2-1 victory. This time, the Sharks were more prepared, skating on their toes instead of their heels, blocking shots, making sure the puck stayed as far away from goalie Antti Niemi as possible. In fact, the only save Niemi had to make in the final two minutes was off a 62-foot slap shot by Kings defenceman Slava Voynov. "We put good puck pressure on them," said Sharks center Logan Couture. "That's one thing we haven't been doing."

Sharks forward Adam Burish says his San Jose teammates are much more effective when there's some chatter and loose banter among the players before each game and between each period.
The Sharks were that way Sunday night, Burish said, before and during their 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings in their Western playoff series. The win evened the best-of-seven series at 3-3. The deciding game will take place Tuesday. "In the locker room before the game, there was some excitement. This team plays well when we're loose, when we're excited and having fun," Burish said. "It's not a tense group. This group's not good when we're tense and we're nervous." Burish said the team will "crack a joke here or there," but mainly the Sharks are talking about what their plan is for the night, to create discussion among the players instead of having everyone internalize their thoughts. "Silence sometimes can kill you," Burish said. "Silence in this locker room can make you nervous." Burish returned to the Sharks Sunday after sitting out since May 7 with a broken hand. He didn't score but he led his team in shots with four in 14 shifts.

Anttii Niemi turned away 24 of 25 shots Sunday as the Sharks defeated Los Angeles by a score of 2-1.
Niemi's solid play was an integral part of the Sharks victory on home ice, but the team will have to win its first road game of the series in order to steal Game Seven from the reigning Stanley Cup champions.

Joe Thornton scored a power play goal for the Sharks in a 2-1 win over the Kings in Game Six of their Western Conference playoff series.
Thronton has seemed rejuvenated this postseason with 10 points in as many games, however a road victory will be needed if the Sharks are going to be victorious in Game Seven of the series. T.J. Galiardi also added his first goal of the postseason in San Jose's win.

Adam Burish insisted that that he's good to go for Game 6 for the San Jose Sharks against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
He's recovering from a broken right hand. He said he's good to go unless something changes ... or he eats some bad chicken.

San Jose leader Joe Thornton has come up with a theory that he thinks will enable the Sharks to bounce back and defeat the Los Angeles Kings in their playoff series tonight.
Specifically, Thornton thinks he has emerged with a way to beat LA goalie Jonathan Quick. "When you get within 10 feet of him, you've got to find the opening, find the hole," Thornton said. "You hope to use his aggressiveness against him, use the back door." The Sharks hope to even up their series against LA tonight. They trail 3-2.

Adam Burish (hand) thinks he's ready to return to the Sharks' lineup.
"I feel ready, yeah. I guess it's Todd's call, but yeah, I feel pretty darn good," Burish said. Sharks coach Todd McLellan wouldn't confirm that Burish will play on Sunday, but Burish is projected to serve on the fourth line.

Tim Kennedy might be a healthy scratch on Sunday.
Kennedy skated alongside Raffi Torres during Saturday's practice and Torres is ineligible to play due to a suspension. Adam Burish (hand) is likely to return on Sunday and it appears that will make Kennedy the odd man out.

Adam Burish (hand) is probable for Game 6 on Sunday.
Sharks coach Todd McLellan won't confirm that, but Burish did skate on the Sharks' fourth line during Saturday's practice. Burish had three points and 25 penalty minutes in 46 regular season games.

The Sharks have not lost any faith in their power play, which ranks fourth in the NHL at 23.3 percent for the playoffs, but realize the unit will need to execute better than it did Thursday during a 3-0 loss in Los Angeles if they hope to extend the series.
With the man-advantage in Game 5, the Sharks went 0 for 3 and mustered just four shots on goalie Jonathan Quick as the Kings skated to a 3-0 victory to take a 3-2 series lead. The Sharks are 0 for 10 on the power play in their three losses to the Kings, and 3 for 9 in their two victories. Because they do have 10 power-play goals in the playoffs -- second most in the league behind Pittsburgh -- the Sharks believe their issues in Game 5 are easily correctable. "It was our passing, it was our timing, our breakouts," center Logan Couture said. "We've had a good power play all year, and in these playoffs the power play's really carried us to where we are right now. Especially our first power-play unit, it was so bad (Thursday)."

Coach Todd McLellan is still scratching his head about the San Jose Sharks' 3-0 loss to the Kings in Los Angeles Thursday night.
McLellan called the Sharks' Thursday effort the weakest of their post-season. They trail the Kings 3-2 in this second-round Western playoff series, which returns to San Jose Sunday. The home team has won all five games and McLellan is counting on that pattern to continue. "We have been resilient the last month and a half," McLellan said. "We've brought it when needed. This is another chance for that. The true advantage at home is your fans. They give you extra energy, extra step."

Adam Burish (hand) might be available for Game 6 on Sunday.
Sharks coach Todd McLellan thinks that Burish is "very close" to returning. He hasn't played since May 7, but his goal has been to return before the end of the second round.

Logan Couture hated the way the Sharks played with the man advantage on Thursday.
"The power play was brutal," Couture said. "Passes weren't on, guys weren't shooting pucks, breakout was off, timing was off. There's 25 things that were wrong." The Sharks went 0-for-3 on the power play and suffered a 3-0 loss. They have to win Game 6 on Sunday to force a Game 7.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan tried to see an upside from the Sharks' 3-0 loss in Game 5 on Thursday.
"Game 5, coming into their building, they were going to have a hard push. We talked about that before - the 10-minute game and the 50-minute game," McLellan said. "They came hard right off the bat, but we got through that without getting scored on. The rest of the night, the other 50 minutes, we weren't very good. Moving forward, maybe that's a good thing, because we've got a lot of things to improve on. Need a better effort from a lot of people." So far the home team has won every game in this series, which is good news for the Sharks heading into Game 6. Unfortunately for them, Game 7 will be in Los Angeles, so even if they manage to try alive, they'll eventually need to beat the Kings in their arena.

San Jose goaltender Antti Niemi played well Thursday night but his teammates couldn't get a puck past Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick and the Kings ended up with a 3-0 shutout over the Sharks.
It was the Kings' 13th consecutive home victory and it also gave them a 3-2 lead over San Jose in their best-of-seven playoff series. Niemi stopped 26 of the Kings' 28 shots Thursday and held them goalless until 18:08 of the second period. An early third-period goal and an empty-netter sealed the deal for the defending-champion Kings and leaves the Sharks needing two wins -- the next one in San Jose and then a Game 7 in Los Angeles -- to advance.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun have done an excellent job shutting down Los Angeles' top line in the Sharks' second-round series.
Anze Kopitar has managed to produce only one power-play assist in the first four games of the series. In the opening round of the postseason, the duo of Vlasic and Braun held Daniel and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks to just one assist each at even strength. "They feel very comfortable playing with each other and they complement each other well," coach Todd McLellan said. "They're both very good skaters with tremendous stamina so when they get caught out there long, they're able to maintain their composure and get the job done." The Kings may shuffle their lines going into Game 5 to avoid the match-up.

The San Jose Sharks aren't relying on any momentum to carry forward from their wins in Game 3 and 4.
"You need to re-establish momentum on a nightly basis," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "I'm a real believer in that." So far the home team has won every game of this series, which isn't surprising given that the Sharks and Kings have been two of the best home teams in the NHL this year. Still, San Jose needs to prove they can win at Staples Center in order to advance past the second round.

Brent Burns scored a goal in San Jose's 2-1 win Tuesday.
Burns has two goals and four points in eight playoff games. He also ranks second on the team with 26 hits and is tied for third with 25 shots on goal.

Joe Thornton earned a lot of praise for his efforts in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Thornton had an assist in San Jose's 2-1 victory. "That was vintage Joe Thornton right there," Logan Couture said. "Unbelievable. Creating turnovers, making passes, skating like a young guy. He was flying, and I know me personally, it got me going. We need Joe to play like that for the rest of the playoffs."

Logan Couture scored his fifth goal of the playoffs on the power play, leading the Sharks to a 2-1 Game 4 victory on Tuesday to even the series up at 2-2.
Couture originally did not receive credit for the game-winning goal, but the replay showed that the Dan Boyle point shot clearly ricocheted off of Couture and past Jonathan Quick. Couture led the Sharks with five shots on goal, and has been active all series, having tallied points in each of the past three games. Brent Burns opened the scoring in the first period with his second of the playoffs, while Joe Thornton received the first star of the game after notching an assist and playing well on the defensive side of the puck in the win.

Antti Niemi was strong in net, stopping 22 of 23 shots he faced as the Sharks tied up the series with 2-1 Game 4 win on Tuesday.
Niemi wasn't busy for most of the night, as the Sharks did a good job of stalling the Kings attack. He was helped in the second period after a premature whistle was blown before a Kings goal. He rallied from there, and aside from allowing a power play goal in the third, he settled in quite nicely when L.A. turned it up towards the finish. After starting the series slowly, Niemi has responded with back-to-back .950 SV% performances. He'll have to steal one for the Sharks on the road, however, if they are going to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Dan Boyle is approaching Tuesday night's Game 4 as a must-win contest for the San Jose Sharks.
"It has to be 2-2 when we leave here, has to be," he said. Boyle scored a power-play goal in Game 3's 2-1 overtime win and he has five points in seven playoff games.

Logan Couture will play in Tuesday's Game 4 despite sitting out practice Monday.
Couture was injured during the second period of Game 3 but eventually returned to the game in time to score the gamer winner in overtime. He participated in today's morning skate and coach Todd McLellan confirmed Couture will play in Tuesday's crucial Game 4. The Sharks trail the Kings 2-1 in the series.

San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan said he's weighing a lineup with Jason Demers inserted as a seventh defenseman for Tuesday's game 4.
Demers has been sidelined since he suffered a sprained left ankle on April 18. He said Monday he's available to return to the lineup, which puts the decision squarely on McLellan's shoulders. Demers did skate at forward at times Monday and could help McLellan balance out both sides of the Sharks' banged-up equation.

Tim Kennedy is expected to return to the lineup in Tuesday's Game 4.
Kennedy sat out Game 3 as Martin Havlat returned to the lineup after an undisclosed injury. However, Havlat is out again Tuesday with a lower-body injury, which clears the way for Kennedy to return to the lineup.

Jason Demers, who suffered a sprained left ankle on April 18, said he is available to return to San Jose's lineup.
The Sharks may use him up front and dress seven defensemen in Game 4. "I'll go in wherever they want me to right now," said Demers, who practiced at forward and on defense Monday. The team is dealing with injuries to Adam Burish and Martin Havlat in addition to Raffi Torres' second-round suspension, which may place Demers at forward on Tuesday night.

Joe Thornton has dominated the Los Angeles Kings in the faceoff circle three games into San Jose's second-round series.
He has won 62.7 percent (32 of 51) of his draws against the Kings going into Tuesday night's Game 4 match-up. Thornton won just 39 of his 83 faceoffs in San Jose's four-game sweep versus Vancouver in Round 1. "The last couple games, it's been working out for me. Hopefully I can continue that," Thornton said. "Puck possession is everything, so as much as you can have the puck, it's better to get on offense. It's a competitive situation. You just try to win as many as you can." Thornton has collected an assist in each of the Sharks' past two games to give him eight points in seven playoff outings.

Jason Demers (lower body) skated as a forward at Monday's practice.
He took line rushes on the team's fifth combination with injured winger Adam Burish and suspended winger Raffi Torres. "I feel good. It's just a question of getting back into game shape," said Demers. "As soon as you do a couple of shifts, especially in this kind of series, you'll be in shape real quick. I'm just helping out wherever I can, and going where they tell me to go." He hasn't played since April 18 because of a sprained left ankle, but he might be available for Game 4.

Adam Burish (hand) practiced with his teammates Monday and he hopes to return at some point during the Sharks' second-round series against Los Angeles.
"That's on my timeline. I'd like to get back," said Burish. "If the doctors let me, I'd play tomorrow if I could. My goal is to get back in this series sometime. When that is, I don't know. It will be between us and the coaches and the doctors to see when that is. But, I'll be ready whenever it is." Coach Todd McLellan said that Burish may be further along than the team had originally thought.

Logan Couture didn't practice Monday, but his absence wasn't surprising and he still expects to play in Game 4.
He was hurt during the second period of Game 3 but returned later in the frame and scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

Martin Havlat (lower body injury) won't play Tuesday in Game 4 versus Los Angeles.
Coach Todd McLellan made the call on Sunday after Havlat didn't practice. He didn't take part in Monday's session either. "If you're hurt and you can't play, you can't play," McLellan said. "We can be as frustrated as we want. It was hard because we had to juggle the lineup, but we talked about the difference between being injured and hurt. He's injured."

Brad Stuart had a big game on Saturday despite being the culprit on Tyler Toffoli's game-tying goal.
Stuart's bad pass went directly to Toffoli who backhanded the puck over Antti Niemi, tying the game at one. But he had a big hit on Justin Williams later in the period and ended up with five hits and four blocked shots. "You make a mistake, and all you can do is try not to let it affect the rest of your game," Stuart said after Game 3. "You just hope the team pulls it out. It was a tight game. I'd like that back, but it happens. I just tried to put it behind me and not let it affect the rest of the game."

Logan Couture's overtime winning goal Saturday was on the power play.
It was the fifth power play overtime goal in the playoffs and that set an NHL record and there are still over two rounds to go. The Sharks have won their last four overtime games in the playoffs against the Kings so they must be feeling pretty confident if the two sides are tied after regulation.

Antti Niemi set a San Jose playoff record when he won his eighth game in overtime Saturday.
Niemi was tied with Evgeni Nabokov at seven heading into action on Saturday. Niemi is now 5-2 in the playoffs with a 2.06 GAA with a .926 save percentage.

Martin Havlat (lower body) did not practice on Sunday.
Havlat returned to action in Game 3 Saturday but only played six shifts before getting hurt again. He is unlikely to play the remainder of the season and his career in San Jose could be over. The injury-prone winger had eight goals and 18 points in 40 regular season games this season after missing 43 games in 2011-12.

T.J. Galiardi is playing on a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns.
The line was very good on Saturday in the 2-1 overtime win over the Kings as they stopped the Kings best line of Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Dwight King. "I mean, if you look at it, I think we're in their zone every time," Galiardi said. "I don't remember being in our zone the whole series, so I'd say so. We just have to score now." Galiardi and Burns have not scored in the series while Thornton has two assists.

To little surprise, Martin Havlat won't play for the San Jose Sharks against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 of their second-round series.
He barely played a period in Game 3, logging just under five minutes before leaving the contest with an undisclosed injury. At this point, it's hard not to wonder about Havlat's career prospects after a steady stream of injuries.

Dan Boyle opened the scoring on Saturday with a power play goal.
Boyle now has two goals and five points in seven playoff games. He quarterbacks the first power play for the Sharks and is still a top-15 defenseman in the NHL.

Martin Havlat (lower body) is doubtful for Game 4 Tuesday according to coach Todd McLellan.
Havlat had played in one playoff game before Saturday but left in the first period after playing only 4:52 minutes. There is no word as to whether or not it is the same injury or a new one but nevertheless, Havlat is doubtful for Game 4. Stay tuned.

Logan Couture (leg) said that he will be fine to play in Game 4 Tuesday.
Couture suffered an apparent leg injury in the second period Saturday and finally returned to play near the end of the second. His return was a huge boost to the Sharks as he scored the overtime winner. Although he did not talk to the press after the game, he made the announcement leaving the dressing room. He was seen to be limping but as he stated, expect him to be in the Sharks lineup Tuesday. Couture is tied for fourth overall in points with 10, including four goals.

Patrick Marleau assisted on both San Jose goals Saturday.
Marleau set up the overtime winner as Logan Couture scored to cut the Los Angeles lead in the series in half as the Sharks now trail two games to one. Marleau has six goals and nine points in seven playoff games thus far.

Martin Havlat's (undisclosed) return to the Sharks' lineup only lasted six shifts.
Havlat withdrew from the game to be evaluated and never returned. At this time it is not clear if he suffered a setback or is dealing with a new ailment.

Antti Niemi saved 26 of 27 shots in a 2-1 overtime win on Saturday.
Niemi surrendered a goal in the first period, but was otherwise perfect in this contest. The Kings had two power-play opportunities, but the Sharks managed to kill off both penalties. Niemi and the Sharks bounced back from allowing four goals in Game 2, but San Jose still has a 2-1 deficit in their second-round series.

Logan Couture scored the overtime winner in San Jose's 2-1 victory Saturday.
Couture briefly exited the game due to a suspected leg injury, but was able to shake it off. Dan Boyle scored San Jose's other goal. Patrick Marleau assisted on both of the Sharks' goals. Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton each registered an assist for San Jose. Brad Stuart led the team with four blocked shots. Tommy Wingels recorded a team-high six hits.

Logan Couture has returned to the Sharks' game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Couture spent time in the Sharks' dressing room after crashing into the boards. Sharks fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

The San Jose Sharks said that Logan Couture might not return on Saturday.
Couture crashed into the boards and appeared to sustain a leg or ankle injury. He played 7:41 minutes before he left the game.

Martin Havlat has left Saturday's game so that he can be evaluated.
Havlat only logged 4:52 minutes of playing time in his return from an undisclosed injury. The Sharks are listing him as questionable for the remainder of Game 3.

Logan Couture went to the Sharks' dressing room after crashing into the boards.
Couture appeared to be favoring his left leg. It was not immediately clear if he would return.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson won't comment on his $100,000 fine.
Wilson was punished for his comments following Raffi Torres' suspension. $25,000 of Wilson's fine was actually automatic because the NHL doesn't allow teams to make a formal statement regarding a disciplinary decision in the 48 hours that immediately follow the ruling. The other $75,000 was because the NHL felt his comments were inappropriate. With all that in mind, he might have only added to his financial losses if he had offered any public reaction to the fine.

Tim Kennedy won't participate in Game 3 on Saturday.
Kennedy probably lost his spot in the lineup because of Martin Havlat's (undisclosed) return. Kennedy had two penalty minutes and logged 6:51 minutes of ice time in Game 2.

Martin Havlat (undisclosed) is expected to play on the third line Saturday.
Havlat was considered probable for this game after talking to Sharks coach Todd McLellan following the morning skate. However, it wasn't clear where he might fit into the lineup. It looks like he'll play alongside Scott Gomez and Tommy Wingels.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson has been fined $100,000 for his comments following Raffi Torres' suspension.
Torres was suspended for what the NHL judged to be an illegal hit to the head on Jarret Stoll. Wilson offered his own rebuttal and said the NHL "made an inappropriate application" of Rule 48.1. $25,000 of Wilson's fine was actually automatic because the NHL doesn't allow teams to make a formal statement regarding a disciplinary decision in the 48 hours that immediately follow the ruling. The other $75,000 was because the NHL felt his comments were inappropriate.

San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan said that there's a "good chance" Martin Havlat will play Saturday night.
It is not yet clear what line Havlat will play on, assuming that he ends up playing at all. The Saturday practice lines weren't altered to accommodate Havlat's potential return, but that's because Havlat informed the coaching staff of his availability after the morning skate.

Adam Burish (hand) is participating in the Sharks' Saturday morning skate.
Burish is recovering from a broken hand. He's hoping to return before the end of the second round, but there's no guarantee that he'll succeed.

Based on the San Jose Sharks' morning skate, it looks like there won't be any lineup changes on Saturday.
That would suggest that Martin Havlat (undisclosed) will not return for Game 3. Consider him doubtful for now and keep in mind that the Sharks might still choose to tweak their lineups in the minutes before the 9:00 p.m. ET start time.

Scott Gomez had two assists Thursday, including his 100th playoff point of his career.
Gomez played in Game 2 as the third line center, replacing the suspended Raffi Torres. It was his second two-point game of the season, with the previous one on March 9. With Torres suspended for the remainder of the series, Gomez will get plenty of work on the third line and the power play.

Brad Stuart's goal on Thursday was his first of the season.
Stuart did not score during the regular season while picking up six assists. He also added an assist as he had his best offensive game of the season. King's goalie Jonathan Quick seemed to be screened on Stuart's goal. "I was just shooting the puck. Save it for the playoffs," Stuart said. "We've just got to keep doing the same things. If he doesn't see it, it's tough to save it. That's what we have to keep doing." Do not expect Stuart to have this kind of offensive breakout again in the 2013 playoffs.

Raffi Torres won't appeal his suspension.
Torres was suspended for the rest of Round 2 for his illegal hit to the head of Kings forward Jarrett Stoll. Don't think that this means Torres agrees with the suspension; in fact the organization disagrees with it. Sharks general manager Doug Wilson released a statement on it, calling it "abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit." He also said it was an "inappropriate application" of Rule 48.1, where the head is the principal point of contact and target of the hit. Wilson said this suspension was "grossly unfair" to Torres.

Adam Burish's upper body injury is a broken hand.
Burish has been ruled out for the second round, but he's hoping to prove that projection wrong. He had three points and 25 penalty minutes in 46 games in the regular season.

Jason Demers (lower body) appears to be progressing nicely.
"He's getting closer," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "Today's skate will give us a much better indication of where he's at. He's going to become an option here pretty soon." He's been out since April 18 with a suspected ankle injury.

Martin Havlat (undisclosed) is still questionable for Game 3 on Saturday.
Havlat skated for about an hour on Friday. "Getting better. We'll see how it goes tomorrow morning," Havlat said. He didn't want to speculate any further about the possibility of him returning soon. Sharks coach Todd McLellan is looking forward to putting Havlat back into the lineup, but cautioned that it's "Marty, mother nature and the trainer's decision."

Sharks coach Todd McLellan has been very happy with what Scott Gomez has given them this year.
Gomez is far removed from his days as an NHL star, but he's become an important piece of the Sharks' squad. "Gomer has been a very good player for us in a number of different ways," McLellan said. "I don't want to say it's surprising, but he's almost like a third or a fourth coach. He's trying to do things the right way. He's trying to get guys to keep their shifts short, that we have a high guy, that we don't turn pucks over. I didn't know we were getting that in Scott Gomez, but we're getting it, and he's been a big influence that way."

Patrick Marleau scored a goal in San Jose's 4-3 loss Thursday.
Marleau has five goals and six points in six postseason contests. He hasn't been this hot since his historic start to the 2013 campaign.

Although the San Jose Sharks are down 2-0 in their second-round series, coach Todd McLellan is confident they can bounce back.
"The one thing I like about our team, is maybe in the past this would have probably bothered our team a little more," McLellan said. "But, with the group of guys we have, I think we can recover from this." Game 3 will be played in San Jose, where the Sharks were 17-2-5 this season.

The San Jose Sharks disputed Marc-Edouard Vlasic's costly delay of game penalty.
The argument is that the puck hit Kings forward Jeff Carter before going into the stands, but the referees disagreed. That gave Los Angeles a 5-on-3 advantage, which they used to score two power-play goals late in the third period of their 4-3 victory. "You go back and look at it, it looks like it changed direction," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. But he also added, "The one thing that I've learned, certainly through this playoffs, is it's not going to do me any good to whine and moan and bitch about the referees. It's not going to get us anywhere. We took some penalties, we needed to kill them, and we move on." It's worth noting that Vlasic's third-period goal might have been the game winner if not for his penalty.