SAN JOSE, Calif. — Game 1 went to the tired and banged-up team.
The relatively healthy Avalanche, playing its first playoff game in a week, started strong Friday night but became fragmented in the second period and saw the San Jose Sharks take over at the SAP Center.
The Sharks, who advanced to the Western Conference quarterfinals with a remarkable comeback and overtime victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 7 of that series late Tuesday night, looked like the fresher team Friday in defeating Colorado 5-2 to win the opener of the second-round series.
San Jose trailed 1-0 in the first period and 2-1 in the second was without two key forwards in team captain Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi.