SAN JOSE — Joe Thornton is back.
Two weeks after suffering a left knee injury, Thornton made a dramatic return to the lineup Sunday as the Sharks faced the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their first round playoff series at SAP Center.
After he was hurt April 2 against Vancouver in a collision with center Michael Chaput, Thornton missed the last three games of the regular season and the first two games of the playoff series with the Oilers.
Thornton took part in the Sharks’ pregame warmup, something he had not done before games 1 and 2 in Edmonton.