If you missed the first period of the Stanley Cup Final Game 5 on Thursday night, boy, did you miss a lot.
The San Jose Sharks held on to win a thriller, 4-2, after a wild first period that saw the game’s first five goals.
San Jose got right to business in Pittsburgh when Brent Burns scored just 1:04 into the period.
That wasn’t all the Sharks had up their sleeves, though. Just 1:49 later, they struck again, this time with Logan Couture doing the damage.
But if you thought the Penguins — who lead the series three games to one — would go down without a fight, you’re sadly mistaken.
Less than two minutes after Couture’s goal, Evgeni Malkin took a feed from Phil Kessel on the power play and buried it for Pittsburgh’s first goal of the evening.
They weren’t done yet. Just 22 seconds later, the game was tied on Carl Hagelin’s goal.
The two goals in 22 seconds tied a Stanley Cup Final record for the fastest two goals scored, and the four goals so early in the game set another mark.
But the Sharks wouldn’t settle and found the back of the net one more time before the period ended, thanks to Melker Karlsson.
The Sharks took that 3-2 lead into the dressing room at the first intermission. What a period of hockey it was.
Thumbnail photo via Don Wright/USA TODAY Sports Images
