Over the first 20 minutes, the Sharks looked like a hockey team that was playing without its spiritual leader. After that, they showed just how big of a role experience can play in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
With Joe Thornton sidelined by a left-knee injury, and Logan Couture suiting up for the first time since he took a puck to the mouth on March 25, most fans and pundits expected the Sharks to be in for a long night in Game 1 of their first round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers.
Instead, it was a long first period followed by the Sharks best 40-plus minutes of hockey in nearly a month, producing a 3-2 overtime win.