(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ San Jose got the lead twice and goalie Martin Jones took care of the rest as the Sharks staved off elimination to bring the Stanley Cup Final back home with a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 Thursday.

The resilient Sharks are now 2-0 in elimination games and 7-2 after a loss these playoffs, as they pushed the series to 3-2.

It was not for a lack of trying by the Penguins though. When asked which of Jones’ saves was teammate #44 Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s favorite, he replied, “My favorite was all 44.”

This was San Jose’s first win in Pittsburgh, several of the top players, Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski all broke through with their first goal of the series and Melker Karlsson and the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin traded stats from last game for at least the night.

It was the fastest four goals to start a Final ever as both teams combined for four goals in five minutes.

Sharks’ Coach Peter DeBoer surprised as he started the game with two different lines for the first time (without it being necessitated by injury) this series. Karlsson and Joonas Donskoi switched places.

Whether it be from the line change or not, San Jose started the game the way they wanted, with the lead. Yes, the lead. Burns got the Sharks’ first lead of the series at just 1:04 into the game. Puck hunter Karlsson controlled the puck and let it go right before he got hit. Burns took it and from the bottom of the left faceoff circle, put the puck in between the goalpost and goalie Matt Murray. Couture got the second assist. That put the Penguins behind for the first time since May 20, CSN’s Brodie Brazil mentioned.

San Jose did not stop there though. Less than two minutes later, Couture tipped Justin Braun’s shot from along the right boards to make it 2-0.

However, two miscues in twenty-two seconds reset the game back to even footing.

Pittsburgh got their opportunity less than two minutes after Couture’s goal.

Dainius Zubrus was called for delaying the game with a puck over the glass and 23 seconds later, Malkin got his second power play goal in as many games with the exact same linemates. From the high slot, Kris Letang tried a shot and the puck eventually got to Phil Kessel. Between the boards and the left faceoff circle, Kessel then passed to Malkin at the bottom of the right faceoff circle. Malkin’s shot got past Jones down on the ice and went in off Braun.

The tying goal came off a Brenden Dillon turnover as Carl Hagelin got his stick to block the clear. Hagelin then went back to position himself near the net and it paid off. Nick Bonino shot from the top of the right faceoff circle and Hagelin had the second tip in goal of the game.

Burns got sent to the box for the Sharks’ second penalty but killed off the threat this time. San Jose got lucky when Kessel hit the left then right goal posts, but not the net.

At 14:47, Karlsson gave San Jose the lead for good.  Dillon sent the puck down ice to Couture at the edge of the left faceoff circle. Couture then sent the puck up to Karlsson in the slot, and he wristed it off the bottom of Murray’s arm. It was Karlsson’s second goal in as many games. With another three point game these playoffs for Couture, they have all come at pivotal times.

San Jose faced their biggest shot deficit in the second, 17-8, but Jones was there to hold off the Penguins.

Pittsburgh was called for too many men on the ice at 5:58. The Sharks had five shots on the ensuing power play, four in a row, with three of them in four seconds.

The Penguins also had three shots in four seconds starting at 14:48.

Perhaps Martin’s best save was against Bonino where Jones stretched just enough with his left pad to stop him at 15:06.

Jones was still very much up the task of holding his team’s fort in the third period.

Pavelski got his goal at 18:40 on an empty net, aided by no other than Joe Thornton.

Game notes: SAP Center will be ready for Game 6 Sunday at 5pm.