Logan Couture breaks out of goal drought to lead Sharks in Game 5

Logan Couture breaks out of goal drought to lead Sharks in Game 5

PITTSBURGH — One of the major story lines through the first four games of the Stanley Cup Finals was the lack of production from the Sharks’ main men.

On Thursday at Consol Energy Center, Logan Couture took charge of San Jose’s offensive needs, providing a goal and assisting on two others, including slipping a beautiful pass around his back to Melker Karlsson for what turned out to be the game-winning goal as the Sharks topped the Penguins 4-2 to stay alive.

Couture hadn’t scored a goal in the series until Thursday.

The other big theme entering Thursday was the need for San Jose to score first, and Couture and Karlsson helped with that, with assists on Brent Burns’ goal just 1:04 in.

Less than two minutes later, Couture deflected a shot by Justin Braun, putting it past Matt Murray and giving the Sharks a very brief two-goal lead; the Penguins came back with two quick ones to tie it.

Couture and Patrick Marleau won a fight for the puck behind the net to keep the Sharks’ possession alive, and Karlsson was in the right spot for the slick pass from Couture, facing one way and passing the other toward Karlsson in the slot.

“I wanted it exactly where it was, but maybe a little harder,” Karlsson said of the shot, adding of Couture, He’s a good player, he makes that play; I wasn’t surprised he got it there in the middle.

Couture is the league’s leading scorer in this postseason, with 29 points, so the fact that he was the Sharks’ savior in an elimination game should come as no surprise.

Pavelski, who also hadn’t scored a goal in the series until Thursday, put in an empty netter to give him a postseason-high 14 goals.