On his tying goal, Bolland scrapped for the puck behind the net and gained control. After hesitating, he fired a wraparound shot that appeared to deflect off the stick of San Jose’s Kent Huskins before it went past Nabokov.

It was the fifth goal of the playoffs and second in two games for Bolland, whose defense was a key throughout the series for Chicago.

Marleau scored the short-handed goal from the right circle at 7:35 of the second, shortly after the Sharks started a break when Marc-Edouard Vlasic blocked a shot by Kane. That put the Sharks in position to take control, but they couldn’t maintain it.

After Toews was called for cross-checking during a scramble at the net, leaving each team a man down, Seabrook took the puck toward the goal. As Marian Hossa battled to get control at the side, the puck slipped between Nabokov’s legs. Seabrook’s goal sliced San Jose’s lead to 2-1 and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan referred to the score as “a bit of a disputed goal.”

“There’s a rule that is in the league right now that if the referee has the intent to blow the whistle, it’s dead,” McLellan said. “The problem with the rule, like a lot of ’em, is there’s a lot of gray left in there. Nobody knows what the referee’s thinking.”

Video   Win worth Keith's teeth May 23, 2010: Duncan Keith may have lost four teeth in Game 4 against the Sharks, but he tells Pierre McGuire he would give up all of his teeth if his Blackhawks can keep winning.

Couture converted a high rebound past Niemi after a shot by Setoguchi from the left boards was deflected, putting the Sharks up 1-0 at 11:08 of the first.

Niemi made 16 saves for Chicago. Nabokov finished with 23.

“They seem very destined right now,” McLellan said of the Blackhawks. “They have a goaltender that’s on fire. They’re getting scoring not necessarily from their superstars, I mean that with all due respect to the Byfugliens, the Bollands, those type of players.

“They’re doing the things they need to do to win.”

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