Despite a missed hand pass that led to St. Louis' loss Wednesday, the Blues say they can't dwell on what happened while they look to come back from a 2-1 deficit to the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference finals.

"It is hard [to move on], for sure. It's not easy to do. It's a test. That's how you look at it," coach Craig Berube said Thursday. "It's a tough play, tough call, but it's just a test, and we've been tested over and over throughout the season and the playoffs, and I think we're pretty good at bouncing back. That's the way I look at it. It's a mental thing more than anything."

A hand pass by the Sharks' Timo Meier -- undetected by the on-ice officials and not reviewable under NHL rules -- led to Erik Karlsson's overtime game winner and the 5-4 victory.

Berube felt his team was moving past the controversy, rather than using it as a rallying cry. Blues players echoed the sentiment.

"We had chances to close the game out. We didn't. Play happened in overtime, we move on, move forward and look to Game 4," said forward Brayden Schenn." I think we've all seen it. Move on from it, don't worry about it."

Forward Vladimir Tarasenko said there's no reason to bring up the controversy because "it's not going to change" no matter how many times it's discussed.

"We have [the] option to discuss it for next days and be not ready for next game or just step over it," Tarasenko said. "We're down in the series, but we have a chance to tie it again. It's our focus and focus on ourselves. ... There's a lot of stuff around. It's your guys' job to do this too, but [it's] our job to prepare ourselves, and I think the best way to prepare is to stay tight and focus on our game and not anything going [on] outside of the team."

There was some good news for those who had wagered on the Blues on Wednesday. A few sportsbooks announced that they were refunding losing bets on the Blues.

But that's no compensation for the Blues.

Whenever a controversial call affects the outcome of a game, the immediate reaction is often outrage. Blues players smashed their sticks on the ice, and general manager Doug Armstrong profanely shouted his displeasure while banging on the officials' dressing room door. But eventually, those emotions can become more introspective; for example, the fact that there wouldn't have been the opportunity for the officials to miss the call in overtime had the Blues not given up a game-tying goal to Logan Couture at 18:59 of the third period.

"We scored four goals in a playoff game, we should win it," said Berube. "Some of it is self-inflicted by us on the goals. We've got to clean that up a little bit."

The 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs continue to be defined by some of the most egregious officiating mistakes in recent memory. The St. Louis Blues were the latest to be on the wrong side of one of those mistakes, losing Game 3 to the San Jose Sharks as a direct result.

Here's what happened in the NHL last night (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+) and what to watch for tonight, in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:

Jump ahead: Last night's game | Three stars
Play of the night | Today's game | Social post of the day

About last night ...

Game 3: San Jose Sharks 4, St. Louis Blues 3 (OT) (Sharks lead series 2-1)

It's a shame that the controversial goal by Erik Karlsson in overtime -- on a missed hand pass by Timo Meier -- overshadowed what was a tremendously entertaining playoff game. The Sharks scored twice in the first. The teams combined for five goals in the second, with the Blues leading 4-3 headed into the third. Logan Couture tied the game at 4 with a goal at 18:59 -- after a couple of icings by the Blues -- and then Karlsson's second of the night ended it. Well, the officials' blown call ended it, and Karlsson's tally was a formality.

Three stars

1. Logan Couture, C, San Jose Sharks. Overtime never would've even happened without Couture's goal late in the third period, when he tucked the puck past Jordan Binnington's pad for his 14th goal of the playoffs and his 20th point.

"I was happy that they kept icing the puck," he said. "I was a little tired, I had been out there for 30 minutes. [Alex] Pietrangelo kept icing it, gave me some time to catch my breath. I think a couple of us were tired, so we were happy that he kept icing it. Jumbo [Joe Thornton] made a good play on the wall, kind of a battle, their guy threw it at the net, we were able to outnumber him. The puck came loose a little bit, and I think I got my stick on it before Binnington could cover it."

2. David Perron, LW, St. Louis Blues. The forward scored two goals 2:39 apart in the second period to give the Blues the 4-3 lead, including the first power-play goal for St. Louis since Game 4 against Dallas.

3. Martin Jones, G, San Jose Sharks. The beleaguered goalie wasn't the sharpest early in the game, but also had two pucks go by him that deflected off defenseman Justin Braun. But as has been the case in the last two rounds, he was there when they needed him, making 15 saves in the third period and overtime. "For him to keep his composure, and then we're chasing the game in the third, you gotta open it up, so he's getting some grade-A looks," Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. "I didn't think there were a lot of grade-A looks in the second period, but in the third he did because we had to open it up, playing from behind. He came up with some huge saves to get it to overtime."

Play of the night

Alex Steen and Ivan Barbashev create the Blues first goal of the night here in Game 3. #stlblues>#StanleyCupPlayoffs>pic.twitter.com/BYMeade7WL - theBRKDWN (@theBRKDWNsports) May 16, 2019

Heck of a pass from Ivan Barbashev, fighting off Karlsson, to Alexander Steen for the Blues' first goal.

Dud of the night

What's a playoff game without controversy? It looks like the referees miss a hand pass and the original call on the ice is goal, so there's nothing that can be reviewed or reversed here. pic.twitter.com/B0vPpNTwEL - Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) May 16, 2019

The fact that all four on-ice officials all missed this hand pass from Meier is just stupefying. Said Kay Whitmore, the NHL supervisor of officials for the series: "It's a non-reviewable play. You can read between the lines. You can figure out what you want. You watched the video. But it's just non-reviewable. I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but that's the truth."

It's technically not a cop-out. Going forward, this kind of play has to be reviewable in the NHL. What an embarrassment.

On the schedule

Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes, Game 4, 8 p.m. ET (Bruins lead series 3-0)

As Justin Williams of the Hurricanes so eloquently put it: "I can't sugarcoat it. This isn't an ideal situation." Carolina played its best game of the series and came up empty in Game 3, and sounded like it afterward. Is there any hope? Well, keep in mind that the 2010 Bruins are one of only four teams that have blown a 3-0 series lead in Stanley Cup playoff history. Three players who played in Game 7 of that series currently play for the Bruins: Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara and Tuukka Rask.

Social post of the day

Laila is a fighter. We know this. @STLChildrens>@Enterprise_Cntr,>#stlblues>#WeAllBleedBlue>pic.twitter.com/4dqVb0sfvG - St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 16, 2019

Laila Anderson, who has a rare disease called HLH (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis), had been in only her home and in the hospital for the past four months. Her doctor cleared her to go to Game 3, and the results were emotional.

Quotable

"[Expletive] garbage." -- Blues GM Doug Armstrong, slamming his hand on the officials' dressing room door after Game 3.

Arsenal have demanded an explanation from UEFA over the decision to host the Europa League final in Baku after they were allocated just 6,000 tickets for the match against Chelsea.

UEFA has blamed transport and infrastructure concerns for the limited allocation of tickets to travelling fans, with both clubs offered only a small fraction of the seats available in the 68,700-capacity Baku Olympic Stadium.

• The Road to Baku: how Chelsea and Arsenal fans can reach Europa League final

• Things Man Utd fans can do to avoid watching rivals in finals

In a statement released Thursday morning, Arsenal said it was "simply not right" for UEFA to select a venue that could not provide better transport options for fans.

"We are bitterly disappointed by the fact that due to transport limitations UEFA can only make a maximum of 6000 tickets available to Arsenal for a stadium with a capacity of well over 60,000," the club's statement said. "Time will tell if it is even possible for 6,000 Arsenal fans to attend the match, given how extreme the travel challenges are."

"We have 45,000 season-ticket holders and for so many fans to miss out due to UEFA selecting a final venue with such limited transport provision is quite simply not right.

"The reality is that whoever reached the final would not be able to meet demand from their supporters."

Fans of both London clubs have hit out at the decision to stage the final in Baku which has left those who can afford to travel and are lucky enough to get a ticket with a 2,850-mile trip.

There are no direct flights to the Azerbaijan capital in the week of the final, with fans facing 25-hour long journeys and stopovers in Frankfurt, Vienna, Kiev, Istanbul and Tehran.

The Foreign Office has also warned fans terror attacks are "likely" in Baku where the final will take place on May 29.

UEFA has previously defended its ticket allocation for each to the two finalists, saying it would not have been responsible to offer more tickets when fans were unlikely to be able to make suitable travel arrangements.

• 2019 Europa League final: all you need to know

• Who qualifies for Champions League and Europa League from England

"We have received many complaints from our fans about this and we fully share their concerns," Arsenal's statement continued.

"On behalf of our fans, we would like to understand the criteria by which venues are selected for finals, and also how supporter requirements are taken into account as part of this.

"Moving forward we would urge UEFA to ensure that supporter logistics and requirements are a key part of any future decisions for final venues as what has happened this season is unacceptable, and cannot be repeated. We would be happy to join any future discussions to avoid this situation happening again."

Arsenal forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been assured he will be able to travel to Baku for the final, despite tensions between his native Armenia and neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Mkhitaryan has previously avoided travelling to Azerbaijan and was not part of the Arsenal squad when they played Qarabag in the Europa League group stage in October.

Last week a spokesperson for the Azerbaijan Foreign ministry said the country had hosted many sporting events where Armenian athletes had taken part.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek faces months on the sidelines after rupturing his Achilles' tendon during Chelsea's 3-0 friendly victory against the New England Revolution in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old had to be helped from the field in the 68th minute and left the Gillette Stadium on crutches after getting his left heel trodden on and caught in the turf, having come on as a half-time substitute.

He is set for surgery on Thursday. It is not yet clear how long Loftus-Cheek will be sidelined, but his injury is a serious blow to Maurizio Sarri's preparations for the Europa League final against Arsenal in Baku later this month.

- Loftus-Cheek talks about wanting to be a leader like John Terry
- Europa League final: What you need to know

Sarri had earlier admitted that Chelsea's trip to the United States complicated his planning for their last competitive game of the season, while Loftus-Cheek's injury will also prompt fresh questions of the sub-standard pitch at Gillette Stadium.

Loftus-Cheek becomes the second Chelsea player to suffer a season-ending Achilles tear in less than a month, after fellow academy graduate and fan favourite Callum Hudson-Odoi suffered a similar injury during a 2-2 draw with Burnley at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Announcing his provisional 27-man England squad for this summer's UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal on Thursday, manager Gareth Southgate confirmed that both Loftus-Cheek and Hudson-Odoi were in line to be involved prior to their injuries.

"Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek would definitely have been in this squad, so it's very unfortunate they've both sustained injuries that will keep them out for some period of time," Southgate said.

"I went to bed last night with Loftus-Cheek in the squad and playing brilliantly, and now he misses a major European final and a big opportunity with us. He's come on a lot in the last few months, playing with a lot of confidence and coming on strong. I'm really disappointed for him."

Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be backed in the summer transfer market in a bid to get the club back to the top of English football.

Solskjaer is embarking on a major rebuild at Old Trafford after United finished sixth in the Premier League table and executive vice-chairman Woodward has suggested the club will be able to provide the necessary financial backing to improve the squad ahead of next season.

- Pogba, De Gea model new United strip
- Solskjaer: Bosses know major rebuild needed
- Sanchez apologises to Utd fans after poor season

"After a turbulent season, everyone at Manchester United is focused on building towards the success that this great club expects and our fans deserve," Woodward said, as United announced their third quarter financial results on Thursday.

"Preparations for the new season are underway and the underlying strength of our business will allow us to support the manager and his team as we look to the future."

United finished 32 points behind champions Manchester City and, more significantly, five points off the top four to miss out on a place in next season's Champion League.

Solskjaer started his reign with 14 wins from his first 17 games but ended the season with just two victories from the final 12 games.

It has increased the pressure on the Norwegian just two months after he was appointed as Jose Mourinho's permanent successor but Woodward has insisted the 46-year-old has his backing.

"While the last few weeks were disappointing, we are delighted to have confirmed the appointment of Ole as our manager on a three-year contract and to have confirmed that key members of the coaching team -- Mike Phelan, Michael Carrick, Kieran McKenna and Mark Dempsey -- will all be remaining at the club," Woodward said.

"The season clearly didn't end the way we had hoped, finishing in sixth place and with a disruptive managerial change part way through. However, Ole and the squad battled back from mid-December to put us in contention to qualify for the Champions League next season but ultimately we came up short."

United have not challenged for the Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson lifted the trophy in his final season in charge in 2013 and have finished outside the top four for the fourth time in six years since the Scot retired.

Solskjaer's overhaul of the squad -- which could see as many as six players leave and five coming in -- is likely to cost more than £200 million but Woodward said money is available to return United to the top.

"Everyone at the club -- the board, the manager, the squad and all the staff -- are resolute in our desire to get United back to the top of English football," he said. "We continually look to improve staff on and off the pitch to achieve this.

"The strength of our business means we have the financial resources to continue to provide a solid foundation for backing the manager and creating success on the pitch.

"This, as ever, remains our No.1 goal."

PLANO, Texas -- Paxton Pomykal can't believe what he's just heard. With a look of disbelief spread all over his face, he tilts forward to see if the guy joining him for lunch is really telling the truth.

"Wait... Never? You've never seen 'Game of Thrones'?"

With that, Pomykal, one of eight FC Dallas players that meets at teammate Jacori Hayes' house every Sunday night for grilling and "Game of Thrones" watching, proceeds to channel his inner FC Dallas coach Luchi Gonzalez by taking out a spiral notebook to draw up a "Game of Thrones" primer. The continent of Westeros, the Battle of Winterfell, Jon Snow, Cersei Lannister, White Walkers... it all gets sorted out by Pomykal in a matter of minutes. This all happens before the waiter shows up to take drink orders in this Plano, Texas, restaurant that's just a 10-minute drive from FC Dallas' home Toyota Stadium.

"I binged 'Game of Thrones' a year ago, now I'm all in. You can binge it, but it's long. They're in season eight and each episode is an hour. That's like 70 something hours to get caught up," Pomykal adds with a slight shrug.

It sounds like a lot of work, but one gets the sense that Pomykal has a knack for making the difficult look easy. This is a 19-year-old with 17 first-team games under his belt who has an uncanny ability to play line-breaking passes, flight in an inch-perfect long ball and push the tempo from central midfield. It's no wonder that he has an affinity for fantasy on the silver and small screens; it seems to jibe with his creative playing style.

"I've always been into super heroes, medieval times. I'm a huge Marvel fan," says Pomykal as he puts the finishing touches on his "Game of Thrones" diagram. "I saw 'Avengers: Endgame' the day it came out, I bought my ticket a month before and wore my Captain America shirt to the movies. I like the creativity of it, it's awesome to see dudes with superpowers, I think everyone is drawn to that. I know some people don't like how unrealistic it is, but I like it."

Fortunately for Pomykal, his HBO Go subscription will allow him to catch the "Game of Thrones" series finale in Poland where he will be with the United States Under-20 team getting ready for the upcoming U20 World Cup. For U.S. fans starving for something positive on the national team front, the tournament is an eagerly anticipated event. Rare are the times when a U.S. team bosses a game against Mexico at any level, but that's exactly what happened in last November's CONCACAF U20 final when Pomykal pocketed two assists.

With his Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl ordered, a smile creases Pomykal's face when that 2-0 win is mentioned; it was everything he lives for as a player.

"Going into a game like that you get so hyped. The fans are there, you know the importance of the game, the importance of winning. That rivalry moment hit me during the walkout. You see their jerseys, our jerseys, you hear both anthems. It's when you are both in the line and you're looking at each other, you're ready to go. That's the moment when I felt 'it's game time.'"

The excitement on Pomykal's face is palpable when he talks about the U20 team. It's that unique moment in a player's career when he spends an extended period of time with peers all the same age. Pomykal relishes playing a vital role for the U20s, and it rubs off on teammates.

"I think he has that effect that when he squares someone up on the opposing team's defense, it gets our guys all on the front foot," said U.S. U20 head coach Tab Ramos to ESPN FC. "His personality is such that guys respond to his leadership on the field."

The U20 World Cup is also a platform for many players to make their name and draw suitors from Europe's top leagues. Pomykal is no different than any other aspiring 19-year-old player on the planet. He dreams of playing in a crucial Champions League fixture, maybe even for his beloved Arsenal. "Thierry Henry is my all-time favorite player," he adds.

He wants to test himself against the world's best. He is even starting to garner attention from international media -- Spanish newspaper MARCA called him "The American Frenkie de Jong." Yet at the same time, Pomykal feels no rush to make a European move. It should not be confused with Pomykal "being too comfortable" in MLS -- a notion that riles American soccer fans. Instead, it is a strong sense of self.

"He's the same young man who shows respect and puts in maximum effort and focus. He's hungry, open and smart. He comes from a good family, who grounded him and made sure that he's working for things and earning things," his club coach Gonzalez told ESPN FC. "As a young player, we knew he was special because he was consistently technical, tactically smart in his decision-making and open to feedback to get better."

For all the talk of future national team and club success, it's worth remembering that Pomykal is someone who still lives at home, reads comics, misses his buddies who are away at college, cherishes days out on the boat on Lake Grapevine, won't move off the couch when LeBron James or Tiger Woods is in action and has become arguably the youngest sushi place expert in North Texas.

"I have a list in my notes of 30-plus sushi spots in town and we rate them," he says while polishing off his lunch. "Just sushi. We rate them from 1 to 5, we have a couple three or four 5-stars places... I'm particular."

Just don't expect Pomykal to post his preferred places on Twitter. It's not because he wants to keep them a secret, it's more about avoiding the negative elements that come with being a professional athlete on social media.

"About the only time I check Twitter is for 'Game of Thrones' memes and jokes. On Twitter there are lots of toxic people. I could care less what others think. I'm just doing everything I can for my team, coaches, friends and family. They know how I am," Pomykal said.

With lunch long over and the restaurant almost emptied out, Pomykal lifts himself out of the booth to head home. He's disappointed that a hamstring injury will keep him out of Thursday's game in Los Angeles vs. LAFC (10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+) but at least there's another "Game of Thrones" episode to look forward to on Sunday.

"I can't wait," Pomykal says with a smile as he waves goodbye.

When it comes to the future of Pomykal in the game, FC Dallas and U.S. national team fans feel the same way.