EDMONTON, Alberta — Joe Thornton experienced some unusual emotions when he was unable to dress for a playoff game for the first time in almost 18 years.
“You don’t realize how nervous you can be when you’re not out there,” Thornton said. “I was just extremely happy.”
Thornton, still recovering from an April 2 knee injury, watched Wednesday as the Sharks erased a two-goal deficit and beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 in overtime to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
“It was such a good game for both teams,” Thornton said. “What an ending for us.