Joe Thornton 'fine' for Game 3 after Game 2 slash

At morning skate in advance of Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton seemed to show no ill effects from a slash on his hand he took late in Game 2 from St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.

Thornton gripped his stick at practice and stayed on ice for the brief practice session.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Thornton said after morning skate.

Bouwmeester slashed Thornton at the five-minute mark of the third period in Game 2. Thornton stayed on ice for the ensuing power play from the slash, then went to the locker room. He returned and then played two more shifts in the third period.

Overall Thornton played four shifts in the third, his lowest amount per-period in the game, a 4-0 win by San Jose.

The Sharks’ first-line center is having one of the top all-around playoffs of his career. He’s had 11 points – six of which coming on the power play – in 14 games while averaging 19:29 of ice-time. He’s also won 52.6 percent of his faceoffs.

This past year the 36-year-old Thornton led the Sharks with 82 points in 82 games and was arguably the team’s most important player.

“They’re going to come hard. They’re a better team on the road,” Thornton said of the Blues. “That’s been documented in the post-season here. So they’re going to come with their best game. I expect us to do the same.”