Ed Graney

The team’s owner sees his hockey team creating a global influence, of small children running through a sprawling Yu Garden of traditional pavilions and towers and ponds in China while wearing … a T-shirt with Chance on it?

History has defined the Golden Knights since their inception. But this is the kind they won’t soon forget. This kind will be talked about for decades to come, and not in a flattering manner.

The Sharks on Sunday night avoided elimination for the second straight game in dramatic fashion, beating the Golden Knights 2-1 in double overtime of Game 6 in this Western Conference quarterfinal before what ultimately became a despondent 18,458 fans at T-Mobile Arena.

San Jose forward Tomas Hertl said the Sharks were better than the Golden Knights and would win Game 6 in Las Vegas to force Game 7 at SAP Center.

This best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series isn’t over because San Jose didn’t want it to be, because they were the better side Thursday night in beating the Golden Knights 5-2.

Here’s how the Knights need to approach Game 5 of the best-of-seven playoff series Thursday night at the SAP Center: Play their game and let the San Jose continue to implode.

The star forward from Russia, fresh from signing a one-year, entry level contract, will be wearing a suit instead of skates Tuesday night when the Knights and Sharks meet in Game 4 of a best-of-seven playoff series at T-Mobile Arena.

Golden Knights forward Mark Stone had a hat trick Sunday and has six goals in the first three games, leading a second line that is giving the Sharks all sorts of matchup headaches.

If the idea about March Madness is to survive-and-advance, the Knights on Friday night defined playoff hockey as survive-the-lunacy, and in the process won 5-3 and climbed straight into this best-of-seven Western Conference series.