~ (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES– Epitomizing the series, Game 5 was not easy, as San Jose came back from giving up three to defeat the Kings for good, 5-3, in their fifth season win at Staples Center Friday.

Rookie Joonas Donskoi scored two goals in a game for the first time in his career, as he nabbed his first and second career playoff goals. It was a game where the young ones stood up, as fellow rookie Melker Karlsson scored his first NHL career playoff goal and so did Chris Tierney. Matt Nieto got his first of the playoffs and third career playoff goal. Logan Couture and Brent Burns had three assist apiece, both career playoff highs, via Darin Stephens.

Between the teams, it was the Sharks’ first Game 5 win and the shortest series. This playoff season, it was the only game not decided by one goal.

Like Game 4, San Jose built a 3-0 lead, but this one was achieved a period earlier, by 4:05 of the second period. By the end of the period though, it was a whole new game.

It wasn’t the Sharks’ first shot of the game but the second worked just as well, 1:08 into the game. After crossing the blue line, Couture passed to Donskoi, who scored from the right faceoff circle, with a hopping Couture avoiding the puck in front of goalie Jonathan Quick. It was Donskoi’s second point of the playoffs, with an assist in Game 1.

Los Angeles’ Luke Schenn was called for interference at 2:45 as Tomas Hertl slid into the net. 16 seconds later, on the other end of the ice, Dustin Brown was called for tripping, resulting in a 5-on-3. However, San Jose only garnered two shots on goal.

In a similar fashion to Donskoi, Tierney made it 2-0 at 11:21. With Schenn already in front, a battling Jake Muzzin and Tommy Wingels added havoc in front of Quick. It was Tierney’s first point of the series and first goal since the day before Valentine’s. Burns got the assist.

The Kings had a power play late in the game at 16:27, but their attempt was lackluster as well, with no shots on goal.

The Sharks finished the period with the advantage in shots (13-4), blocked shots (9-3), hits (12-10) and takeaways (1-0). San Jose’s Roman Polak had three hits and four blocked shots.

Los Angeles came into the second with a lot of pressure, but scored first again at 4:05. From the boards, Couture made a pass behind to Joel Ward in front of the net. Ward in turn passed across to Nieto, who scored through Quick’s exposed right side. It was Nieto’s third career playoff goal.

San Jose’s Patrick Marleau was awarded a penalty shot on a breakaway, but his shot was saved at 5:31.

Then, the Sharks’ lead slowly sputtered.

Anze Kopitar won the faceoff and it went to Drew Doughty. His shot just got a piece of Dwight King and hit Kopitar’s skate, as the puck went past Martin Jones’ glove at 7:44 to end the shutout.

The 3-2 goal came at 11:26. From the boards, Muzzin got the puck to Jeff Carter, who had time to maneuver the puck and lift it in position to score, as Justin Braun tried to defend in front of Jones. Tyler Toffoli also got an assist.

After the puck bounced all around, the game was tied. Kyle Clifford shot at the right side of the net. It ended up on Jones’ exposed right side, and Kris Versteeg put the puck past Jones at 16:36. Muzzin got the second assist.

San Jose did not take too long to recover. Donskoi started and ended the game winning goal, skating to the net, but was initially stopped by Doughty. Burns was then able to pick up the loose puck and passed it back to Donskoi, who had gone behind the net to the other side, scoring at 3:58.

Sharks’ Captain Joe Pavelski then went five-hole with his fifth of the playoff series, aided by Burns and Paul Martin at 12:24.

Karlsson completed the 6-3 win with an empty net assist from Marleau at 19:38.

Game notes: This was the lone game without a power play in the postseason series. Pavelski left for a brief hiatus because of his right thumb in the first period. San Jose will face either the Nashville Predators or the Anaheim Ducks in Round 2.