Colorado Avalanche vs San Jose Sharks Box Score on May 04, 2019

Tomas Hertl scored both goals and Martin Jones made 21 saves as the host San Jose Sharks claimed a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche Saturday night and are one game away from reaching the Western Conference final.

The Sharks, who lead the best-of-seven second-round Stanley Cup playoffs series 3-2, will look to close it out in Game 6 Monday night in Denver.

No team has yet won two straight games in what's been an entertaining and hard-fought series. For the second time, though, the Sharks erased a second-period deficit before going on to victory.

With his team down 1-0, Hertl tied the game with 19.4 seconds remaining in the middle frame. While the Sharks had a man-advantage, Logan Couture one-timed a point shot that Hertl deflected into the cage for his first goal of the series.

Hertl potted his second of the night, and the eventual game-winner, at 6:26 of the third period. While his team was buzzing around the offensive zone with a litany of chances, Marc-Edouard Vlasic fired a point shot that was stopped, but Hertl was on the spot for the loose puck and slipped home the rebound goal for his eighth tally of the playoffs.

For the Avalanche, the loss was a wasted opportunity. Just as it appeared the game would be scoreless through 40 minutes, Tyson Jost opened the scoring with 2:59 remaining in the second period. After the Avalanche wasted two consecutive power plays -- and after Jost was absolutely robbed on a golden chance -- the visitors received a lucky bounce when Jones made the save on J.T. Compher's long shot, but the puck bounced off Jost's leg into the cage for his first NHL playoff goal.

Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer certainly gave his team every chance to win with a 37-save performance.

The Sharks are also close to having a key player back in the lineup. Joe Pavelski, who was injured in Game 7 of the first-round series with Vegas, was on the ice after the morning skate on Saturday, a big step to him returning.

--Field Level Media