from Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News,

Logan Couture scored the go-ahead goal with just over seven minutes left in regulation time and completed his first career playoff hat trick with 29.5 seconds to go to lead the Sharks to a wild 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.

Just 65 seconds after Colorado’s Matt Nieto tied the game 2-2 off a redirection in from the Sharks’ net, Couture took a pass from Gus Nyquist, skated toward the Avalanche net and beat goalie Philipp Grubauer with 7:10 left in third period. His third goal came on an empty net, as the Sharks took a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 on Thursday.

“This is what you play hockey for. This is what you play 82 games for,” Couture said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to play on some very good teams and we’ve only missed the playoffs once since I’ve been in San Jose, and these games are so much fun.”

Couture now has an NHL-leading nine goals in 10 Sharks playoff games.

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