San Jose earns sixth win in seven tries, 2-1 over Wild

SAN JOSE – Joe Pavelski broke a 1-1 tie in the third period with a one-timer from inside the left circle to propel the San Jose Sharks past the Minnesota Wild 2-1 at SAP Center.
The win kept the Sharks among the top four teams in the tight Pacific Division standings with 36 points. The Los Angeles Kings trail in fifth place with 35 points.
San Jose, with six wins in the past seven games, continues the five-game homestand Saturday night against the Nashville Predators.
Alex Stalock made 18 saves while posting his fourth victory for San Jose. The Sharks needed to withstand the final 2:16 of the third period after the Wild pulled the goaltender for an extra skater.
Joe Thornton assisted on both Sharks goals, moving him past Montreal legend Jean Beliveau for 39^th place in the NHL all-time scoring list with 1,220 points.
San Jose produced a power-play goal in the second period to open the scoring.
Brent Burns, anchored at the left point before receiving a cross-ice pass from Justin Braun, whipped a low shot across the slot and inside the right post past goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Logan Couture positioned at the right edge of the crease ad had his stick exposed near the right post when Burns’ ninth goal of the year flew into the netting at the 14:51 mark.
Minnesota, the fifth team in the Central Division, pulled even 1:03 into the third period when rookie defenseman Christian Folin turned a Shark turnover into an unassisted goal. Folin’s first NHL goal from inside the blueline sailed inside the right post past a screened Stalock.
The Sharks regained the lead 45 seconds later. Thornton, controlling the puck at the right boards in the Wild zone, spotted an unmarked Pavelski across the ice with a pin-point pass. Pavelski notched his team-high 15^th goal of the campaign by driving the puck into a gaping hole behind Kuemper.
Pavelski posted a team-high five shots on net as San Jose finished with a 30-19 edge in shots.
“Everybody played to their strength,” said San Jose coach Todd McLellan. “”It was a really good team win.”