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SPORTS Monday 20 May 2019
Blues move to brink of Cup final with 5-0 win over Sharks

By JOSH DUBOW 3-1 series deficit to Vegas
AP Sports Writer in the first round and win-
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — ning a Game 7 at home in
Vladimir Tarasenko scored the second round against
on a penalty shot and Colorado.
Jaden Schwartz added the San Jose got off to a spir-
first of his three goals during ited start in the rare after-
a dominant second period noon contest that led to
that carried St. Louis to the a more subdued crowd
brink of its first trip to the than usual at the Shark
Stanley Cup Final in nearly Tank. Evander Kane hit the
a half-century, sending the post just 12 seconds into
Blues to a 5-0 victory over the game and the Sharks
the San Jose Sharks on Sun- had the better of the play
day in Game 5 of the West- in the opening 20 minutes
ern Conference final. despite falling behind 1-0
St. Louis used a relentless when Sundqvist converted
forecheck to take control a turnover from a hobbled
of the game and series in Erik Karlsson into a goal less
the second period, get- than six minutes into the
ting the two goals and out- contest.
shooting the beleaguered Karlsson has been ham-
Sharks 20-6 during the pered by a groin injury that
frame. It also got 21 saves sidelined him for 27 of the San Jose Sharks' Brent Burns (88) interferes on a breakaway of St. Louis Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko
from Jordan Binnington in final 33 games in the regu- (91) in the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals in
San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, May 19, 2019.
his first playoff shutout and lar season and has been Associated Press
a first-period goal from Os- extremely limited since the
kar Sundqvist to overwhelm third period of Game 4. He
the Sharks. tried to make a quick outlet
Schwartz added two goals under pressure but his pass
in the third for his second went through teammate
hat trick this postseason, Brenden Dillon's skates, off
becoming the first player the boards and right to
with two in one playoff run Sundqvist, who beat Jones
since Johan Franzen for to give the Blues their fourth
Detroit in 2008. goal of the series from the
The victory gave the Blues fourth line.
a 3-2 series lead, the clos- The Blues then took over in
est they've been to making the second period, putting
the final since getting there 11 shots on goal in less than
in their first three seasons as five minutes. They added
the winner of the all-expan- to the lead when Tarasen-
sion Western Conference. ko's shot was partially
St. Louis can earn its first blocked. Jones then swept
trip back to the final since it away but it went right to
1970 with a win at home in Schwartz, who knocked it
Game 6 on Tuesday night. into the open net to make
Martin Jones made 35 it 2-0.
saves for the Sharks but got The Blues didn't let up after
little help from his team- that and kept the pressure,
mates, who have been leading to a breakaway by
held to one goal in losing Tarasenko. He was pulled
the past two games. San down by Brent Burns for
Jose now faces elimina- a penalty shot and con-
tion for the third straight verted it with a shot high to
series, having overcome a Jones' glove side.q