Joe Pavelski was Facetiming team after Game 3 win, could still return this series

DENVER — Joe Pavelski is making enough progress from the head injury he suffered April 23 that coach Pete DeBoer isn’t ruling out a return for the Sharks captain at some point in their series against the Colorado Avalanche.

DeBoer said Pavelski was to begin skating again Wednesday in San Jose for the first time since his injury.

Pavelski suffered the injury in the third period of Game 7 of the Sharks’ series against the Vegas Golden Knights. He was around the team in San Jose the days after the incident but he and Joonas Donskoi stayed back in the Bay Area when the Sharks traveled to Denver.

The Sharks won Game 3 on Tuesday 4-2 with Logan Couture recording a hat trick and Timo Meier adding a goal and two assists, and will take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 on Thursday in Denver.

“He was facetiming us after the game last night, so he’s feeling better,” DeBoer said as the Sharks went through an optional skate Wednesday at Denver University. “We’re all excited about the progress he’s making. I wouldn’t say he’s not going to be available, no.”

Pavelski had been termed day-to-day since the start of the series with the Avalanche. He had two goals and two assists against the Golden Knights.

Donskoi, who hasn’t played since Game 6 against the Golden Knights on April 21, has been skating regularly but does not have a timetable for a return.

Game 5 is on Saturday at SAP Center. Games 6 and 7, if necessary, would be Monday in Denver and Wednesday in San Jose, respectively.

“We’re trying to win as many games as we can so we can see him back on the ice,” Sharks center Joe Thornton said after Game 1, a 5-2 San Jose victory, last Friday. “If we just keep winning, hopefully he gets healthy and can join us at some point.”