Avalanche vs. Sharks results: Highlights from San Jose's controversial Game 7 victory

Rudi Schuller

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Avalanche vs. Sharks results: Highlights from San Jose's controversial Game 7 victory image

It was a game that had everything.

Unlike the previous night's contest, Wednesday's Game 7 between the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche did not require double overtime as the Sharks claimed a 3-2 victory after regulation time to advance to the Western Conference finals.

That's not to say there wasn't any drama. Quite the opposite, actually.

The game featured goals, injuries and controversial calls as the teams slugged it out for the right to face the St. Louis Blues in the next round. Joe Pavelski returned from injury after two weeks and had an instant impact for San Jose. On the other side of the ice, Nathan MacKinnon was forced out of Wednesday's game early with what appeared to be a separated shoulder, only to make his way back to the ice and show glimpses of what makes him one of the most dangerous players in the NHL.

Individual players aside, perhaps the biggest story of the night was the offside call that took away a goal from the Avalanche that could've changed the course of the game. Five minutes later, the Sharks scored what would stand up as the game-winner, thanks to a bit of wonderful skill and patience from unlikely goal scorer Joonas Donskoi.

It was a contest that truly lived up to the billing of a Game 7, as the Sharks came away as winners and will return to the West final for the fifth time in franchise history.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Game 7 between the Sharks and Avalanche. Here is how it all played out.

Avalanche vs. Sharks: Score, Game 7 result, highlights from 2019 NHL playoffs

Third period

0:00 - That's it! The Sharks are back in the Western Conference finals.

1:00 - Martin Jones is earning his pay right now! The Avs have thrown everything at him, but it's still a 1-goal game.

2:09 - The Colorado net is empty.

2:10 - SAVE! Martin Jones gets his body on a HUGE slap shot by Cale Makar. The kid put everything he had into that one, but the Sharks netminder wasn't all too bothered by it.

2:30 - The crowd is loud and anxious. Now all eyes turn to the Colorado net. When will the goalie be pulled?

5:48 - The clock seems to be ticking down very quickly, but probably not fast enough for the Sharks.

8:46 - SAVE! Mackinnon gets a nice shot off by Martin Jones is up to the challenge.

10:00 - We're into the final ten minutes here. Will the Sharks be able to withstand the growing Colorado onslaught?

13:04 - Penalty: killed. The Sharks did well to cool down the Colorado attack after a hot start to the period.

15:04 - And now Colorado will go on the power play as Couture is called for tripping.

16:12 - The Avalanche have a zip in their step to start the period. Makes sense given that their season is on the line.

19:09 - 🚨 GOAL 🚨 That's exactly the start the Avs needed. Sharks 3, Avalanche 2.

20:00 - Here we go. Can Colorado mount a comeback in the final period?

Second period

0:00 - That was as dominant a period as you'll see, but the Avs still managed to find spots to be dangerous (the overturned goal being the most obvious example).

0:38.4 - The Sharks are ending the period with a flurry of shots. Again, Grubauer is standing tall.

4:20 - The Sharks hold a 7-5 shooting advantage in this period, but it feels like more.

7:23 - 🚨 GOAL 🚨 What a play by Joonas Donskoi, who wraps around the net before beating the Colorado goalie short side. Sharks 3, Avalanche 1.

9:32 - No doing from that Avalanche power play.

11:32 - Penalty to San Jose. Karlsson will sit for slashing. 

12:11 - GOAL? Of course it's Colorado who gets the first goal of the period, after a perfect pass from MacKinnon to Wilson. But wait... the goal is being challenged. It's eventually overturned. No goal.  Sharks 2, Avalanche 1.

12:52 - It's pretty much been all the Sharks so far in this period.

15:52 - Colorado survives that penalty unscathed, and even managed to get a shorthanded opportunity.

17:52 - San Jose has come out flying, and the Avalanche are forced into taking a high-sticking penalty.

20:00 - And we're back for the middle 20 minutes of regulation.

First period

0:00 - That'll do it for an eventful, yet very quick, first period.

0:06.8 - 🚨 GOAL 🚨 Colorado gets on the board in the dying seconds with a Mikko Rantanen redirection. Game on! Sharks 2, Avalanche 1.

0:43.7 - Sharks are peppering the Colorado net, but Philipp Grubauer is up to the task.

3:23 - Looks like he's alright! MacKinnon jumps off the bench and immediately gets a clean shot on goal after outmuscling his defender, but his effort is stopped.

5:30 - MacKinnon has returned to the Avs bench. Now we await his first shift.

6:01 - The Avalanche PK does its job.

8:01 - Penalty called against Colorado's Ian Cole for interference. Sharks on the PP now, and a goal here would put Colorado in a huge hole.

8:25 - 🚨 GOAL 🚨 The Sharks take a 2-0 lead after Tomas Hertl scores from a Pavelski feed. The arena is jumping! Sharks 2, Avalanche 0.

9:20 - The life seems to have been sucked out of the Avalanche after watching MacKinnon go down, followed by that Pavelski opener.

12:00 - Here's how the MacKinnon injury happened:

14:03 - 🚨 GOAL 🚨 Joe Pavelski puts the Sharks up with a beautiful tip. Sharks 1, Avalanche 0.

14:20 - The power play is over with the Sharks not managing a shot.

16:20 - Now its the Avalanche who get called for hooking. Sharks PP coming up.

16:38 - The penalty is over. Karlsson is back on the ice for San Jose.

18:09 - Uh oh. Nathan MacKinnon is holding his right arm after falling awkwardly into the boards. He eventually heads to the locker room. Not good for Colorado.

18:38 - Erik Karlsson is headed to the penalty box for hooking. The Avs get an early power play opportunity.

20:00 - We're underway for another Game 7!

Pre-Game

Joe Pavelski is on the ice for warmups.

Rudi Schuller