SAN JOSE
– Two goals within a 19-second span of the second period sparked
the San Jose Sharks past the Dallas Stars 5-2 Saturday afternoon at
sold-out HP Pavilion.
SAN JOSE – Two goals within a 19-second span of the second period sparked the San Jose Sharks past the Dallas Stars 5-2 Saturday afternoon at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The win moved San Jose within one point of Detroit for the Western Conference lead, while Dallas remained three points off the pace for the eighth spot in the conference.
Joe Pavelski scored his 21st goal of the year unassisted 14:17 into the second period for a 3-1 San Jose advantage. Linemate Milan Michalek followed with his 21st of the year at 14:36 for the three-goal Sharks cushion.
The Sharks can catch the Red Wings Sunday, playing Western Conference cellar-dweller Colorado at 5pm to complete the three-game homestand.
Dallas, clinging to hopes of a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs but down to 10 games left on the regular season, scored the game’s first goal.
Loui Eriksson, the Stars’ leading goal-scorer this season, pocketed his 33rd when he skated completely around the Sharks net to stuff in a shot past goalie Evgeni Nabokov 7:30 into the first period.
Joe Thornton pulled the Sharks into a 1-1 deadlock at 13:05 of the first with a power-play goal.
Thornton set up at the bottom of the right circle, then threaded a shot behind a screening Jonathan Cheechoo and by the right pad of goalie Marty Turco.
San Jose took a 2-1 lead 29 seconds later.
Devin Setoguchi, skating on a line with Pavelski and Michalek for the second consecutive game, carried the puck into the Dallas zone before firing a shot on net. Pavelski collected the puck in the left corner, spotting defenseman Brad Lukowich in the left circle for a one-timer. Lukowich’s shot left the puck behind Turco and on the line, allowing an alert Setoguchi to clean up with the tap-in at 13:34.
Pavelski won a face-off in the Dallas zone after a Stars offside infraction. Pavelski pushed a shot toward the net that bounded of the skate of defenseman Trevor Daley. Pavelski followed with a slapshot that beat Turco from 20 feet out for the 3-1 cushion.
Michalek’s goal came on an attempted pass from the right flank in the Stars zone that resulted in a goal when the puck skimmed off the skate of Star Brad Richards and behind Turco.
Dallas came back with a goal 5:17 into the third period. Stephane Robidas whipped a one-timer from the blueline past a screened Nabokov for his third of the year.
Patrick Marleau gave the Sharks the three-goal edge back with one minute left in the game by scoring an empty-net goal.
Pavelski finished with three points (one goal, two assists) and was named the game’s First Star.
The Sharks will play at Chicago against the Blackhawks Wednesday, in Nashville opposite the Predators Thursday before hosting Phoenis Saturday night.
