Sharks flounder in game three


May 22, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks are one win away from reaching the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1992, thanks to 257-pound playoff dynamo Dustin Byfuglien.

Byfuglien scored his seventh goal of this postseason 12:24 into overtime Friday night and the Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

The Blackhawks can finish the sweep and make the finals with a victory Sunday at the United Center.

Byfuglien went straight down the middle and took a nice pass from Dave Bolland, who was behind the net, to beat Evgeni Nabokov and set off a deafening roar from the crowd of 22,311.

Bolland scored on a breakaway to put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the third period, but Patrick Marleau answered with a rebound goal with 4:23 left in regulation to tie it and force overtime.

Marleau also scored in the second period on a power play, giving him four goals in two games. Patrick Sharp had a man-advantage goal for the Blackhawks.

Antti Niemi had 44 saves for the Blackhawks, stopping five shots in overtime, including one on Devin Setoguchi from the right circle. Nabokov finished with 35 saves and had stuffed Patrick Kane earlier in overtime when the quick forward skated to the net.

Bolland picked up a loose puck at center ice after Jonathan Toews blocked a shot, skated ahead, and at the last second maneuvered in to beat Nabokov with just under seven minutes remaining in regulation to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

But the lead didn’t last long. About 21/2 minutes later, Marleau scored on a rebound with 4:23 to play.

Just as a two-man advantage was about to elapse, Marleau scored his first goal on a rebound shot from the slot. The power-play goal came about four minutes into the second period to put the Sharks ahead 1-0.

But three minutes later with the Blackhawks on a power play, Toews threaded a perfect pass across the crease to Sharp.

An apparent early first-period goal by San Jose’s Joe Pavelski was disallowed following a video review.