Devin Setoguchi scored three goals, including the overtime winner at 9:21, leading the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings and giving them a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
After Joe Thornton skated from his own end and poked the puck around Jonathan Ericsson, he found Setoguchi, who wristed a shot past Jimmy Howard to complete the hat trick.
Thornton had three assists in the victory, while Dan Boyle contributed a goal and an assist.
Nicklas Lidstrom had a goal and an assist for the Wings, while Henrik Zetterberg had two helpers.
Pavel Datysuk and Patrick Eaves also scored for the Wings.
Antii Niemi made 38 saves in the win, while Howard stopped 34 of 38 shots in the loss.
With 4:08 remaining in the third, Boyle rifled a wrist shot from the slot through the glove of Howard, equaling the score and setting up yet another epic finish between these Western Conference rivals.
San Jose has a chance to sweep Detroit in Game 4 on Friday night in Detroit.
The Wings showed their physicality early, beginning in the first period when they outhit the Sharks 17-3.
Niklas Kronwall further cemented his reputation as one of the most devastating checkers in the game, as he flattened Dany Heatley against the far boards midway through the first period, sending the Sharks forward to the Quiet Room.
Heatley returned later in the period.
After Setoguchi’s first goal, Lidstrom tied the game 1-1 with 20 seconds remaining in the opening frame after a dazzling between-the-legs pass by Zetterberg.
Zetterberg corralled a rebound off the pads of Niemi and deftly feathered a pass to Lidstrom, who fired it past the sprawled Sharks netminder.
The six-time Norris Trophy winner became the all-time leader in power-play goals for a defenceman in the playoffs with the goal with his 29th in 254 post-season contests.
Detroit’s fourth line came together to give the Wings the lead at 13:59 of the second period.
After Darren Helm’s wraparound attempt was knocked off his stick, Eaves picked up the loose puck and fired it past Niemi, giving the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.
Less than a minute later, Setoguchi and the Sharks again capitalized on the power play, tying the game 2-2.
Setoguchi fanned on a one-time attempt from Dan Boyle, but the fluttering puck eluded the glove hand of Howard and found its way into the net for his second goal of the contest.
Datsyuk’s wrist shot capped off the third goal scored in a span of 4:18, as Zetterberg once again made a clever pass that allowed the Russian to skate in and fire it over the shoulder of Niemi to give the Wings a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.