SAN JOSE, Calif. — Logan Couture, like many of the Sharks’ young guns, logged plenty of frequent flier miles this season on the Worcester shuttle — traveling back and forth between the AHL affiliate and San Jose.
But as the season wound down, Couture figured he would finish the year on the farm team.
“I was getting ready for the Calder Cup playoffs,” Couture said.
Instead, he is staging a coming-out party in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The rookie scored two goals Thursday night to lead the Sharks to a 5-0 victory over Colorado in Game 5 of the first-round series at HP Pavilion.
“It’s been unbelievable,” said Couture, a 21-year-old center. “When I got the call to come up, I already was looking to see who we were going to play in the first round down there. Next thing I know, I’m stepping on the ice in an NHL playoff game. It’s been a lot of fun.”
The Sharks certainly think so.
Couture’s first playoff goal rates as one of the biggest for San Jose so far this season. His second-period tip-in broke a scoreless tie and helped open the floodgates as the Sharks finally solved the puzzle of Colorado goalie Craig Anderson.
By the time the period was over, the Sharks were leading 3-0 and, for the first time in this series, having their way with the Avalanche.
And then Couture’s goal at the 10:37 mark of the third period, off a juicy rebound of a Ryane Clowe shot, extended the lead to 4-0 and chased Anderson from the game.
“It’s very cool,” added Couture, who scored 53 points in 42 games at Worcester this season. “It’s my first two-goal game in the NHL, and it really means something coming in the playoffs.”
Couture, the ninth pick overall in the 2007 draft, was promoted for good in mid-March and his statistics for the year in San Jose were modest — five goals and four assists in 25 games. Still, coach Todd McLellan was calling him one of the Sharks’ most dynamic players.
“He’s given our team a spark, and he deserves to play every minute he gets,” McLellan said earlier in the series.
He proved why Thursday while centering a line with Dany Heatley and Manny Malhotra.
Throughout the first 30 minutes, the Sharks once again had dominated the puck and peppered Anderson with shots.
But they couldn’t beat him until the 8:25 mark of the second period. That was when Couture put on the brakes in front of the crease as he watched Patrick Marleau fire a cross-ice pass to Heatley — who then unloaded a one-timer.
Couture deftly deflected it past Anderson.
“I just drove the net and then I saw Patty stop and throw a pass to Heater,” Couture said. “I don’t know if he took a shot or if it was a shot-pass, but he put it right on my stick.”
