Penguins vs. Sharks 2016 final score: Joel Ward, Joonas Donskoi deliver Sharks pivotal Game 3 win over Penguins

Once again, the San Jose Sharks held their own against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a pivotal Stanley Cup Final game. For once, they pulled out a win.

And now, down 2-1 in the series, the Sharks have regained some important ground in their first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance.

And it didn't start all that well for the home team. The Penguins, as they have so often this series, dominated possession early. A penalty to the Sharks didn't help, and Lovejoy put the Penguins up 1-0 when it expired by banking a shot off the skate of Sharks defenseman Roman Polak. It was just the start of another rocky game for Polak and Brenden Dillon, his defensive partner.

But the Sharks struck back before the period ended thanks to good timing and a well-placed shot from Justin Braun. Midway through the frame, the Sharks defenseman fired a shot from the point that beat Penguins goalie Matt Murray, who was screened on the play. Or his controller disconnected. One or the other.

Aside from a tripping penalty to Penguins winger Carl Hagelin, the referees mostly put away their whistles and let the two sides play in the second period. The result was a strong period for the Sharks, though it was undone by a late goal from Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist. With less than a minute left in the period, Lovejoy threw the puck in from the blueline and Hornqvist tipped it past Sharks goalie Martin Jones for a 2-1 lead.

San Jose finally broke through on the power play in the third period. Midway through the frame, Penguins forward Nick Bonino sat for four minutes for high-sticking Joe Thornton. With their best penalty-killing forward in the box, the Penguins capitulated to a game-tying goal from Joel Ward that went right through Matt Murray.

The overtime was bananas. Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski both failed to connect on point-blank chances at one end, and Evgeni Malkin missed a tremendous chance of his own at the other end a moment later. The Sharks ultimately prevailed when rookie Joonas Donskoi curled around the net, spun and fired past Murray for the game-winner.

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