The San Jose Sharks enter Thursday's Game 4 matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, on the road, leading the series 2-1. The Sharks started things off right with a series-opening win, back at the SAP Center, last Friday night. The 5-2 victory was fueled by a three-goal explosion in the second period, spearheaded by Joe Thornton's goal, following a crucial San Jose penalty kill.

The Sharks got on the board, late in the first, with a goal by Gustav Nyquist, which tied the game at 1-1. Early in the second, the Avs regained the lead with a Colin Wilson goal scored during a Colorado power play, 3:56 into the period. However, an onslaught of scoring would lead to the Sharks entering the third with a 4-2 lead. Martin Jones slammed the door shut in the final period, shutting the Avalanche out in the third, and securing the win.

After a resounding success in Game 1, San Jose faced a ready Avalanche team in Game 2, looking to avoid going down 2-0 in the series. Sunday's contest was a back-and-forth affair, starting off with a first-period goal scored by the Sharks' Evander Kane. Colorado would rebound in the second, scoring a pair of goals to claim the lead. The score would remain 2-1 Avs, through half of the final period, until Colorado's Matt Nieto banged-home the game-sealing goal, putting his team up 3-1, with 8:50 left in the third.

The Sharks would attempt to rally and answer, and they did, on a Brent Burns goal with 4:34 remaining in the game. Down 3-2 and desperately looking to score a game-tying goal, San Jose pulled their goalie. An empty net goal with 1:02 left just about wrapped things up, though, the Sharks would score a late power play goal, but it was ultimately too little too late. The Avalanche prevailed, sending the series back to Colorado, tied at one game apiece.

Game 3, in Colorado, would be known as the "Logan Couture Show." The Sharks' center would score three goals in San Jose's decisive victory; the first of two games in the Rocky Mountains. The Sharks jumped out to an early lead, scoring two goals in the opening period and shutting the Avs out, heading into the second with a score of 2-0. However, Colorado would strike back, scoring to cut the lead to 2-1 in the second, and again, early in the third, tying the game at 2-2.

Just about a minute after Nieto's game-tying goal, the man of the evening, Couture, knocked-in the go-ahead score. Padding the Sharks' lead, Logan would add an empty net goal in the game's waning moments. The solid effort put forth by San Jose, on the road, led to their stealing back home-ice and setting themselves up for a golden opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 series lead with a win on Thursday night.