Couture extends playoff scoring lead

Logan Couture is quietly having an excellent postseason.

With a goal and two assists in a Game 5 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Couture now sits on 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 20 playoff games, six points ahead of teammates Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski and seven up on Phil Kessel.

"I haven't done too much this series," Couture told NBC's Pierre McGuire after the game. "You want to contribute. We knew what the series was at, what a loss would have meant to us, so wanted to try to force the game back in San Jose."

That's exactly what the Sharks were able to do, with Game 6 set for Sunday in California.

In the first four games of the series, Couture had recorded two assists, both of which were recorded in Pittsburgh. His three-point effort Thursday gives him at least one three-point game in each round of the playoffs.

Looking ahead, the extra game or two allows Couture the opportunity to build on his point total, which is already the fourth highest in the playoffs in the salary cap era. Since 2006, only Evgeni Malkin (36) and Sidney Crosby (31) in 2009, and Daniel Briere (30) in 2010 have been more productive in the postseason.

A couple more wins and Couture will put himself in the Conn Smythe conversation, with Martin Jones likely the front-runner if the Sharks are to win the Stanley Cup.