Sharks End Skid In Fight-Filled 4-1 Win Over Ducks
ANAHEIM, Calif. (CBSLA.com/AP) — Joe Pavelski and Tommy Wingels scored power-play goals, and the San Jose Sharks emphatically snapped a four-game losing streak with a fight-filled 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.
Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also scored for the Sharks, who ended Anaheim's seven-game winning streak with just their second victory in seven games.
Antti Niemi made 33 saves as San Jose rebounded aggressively from an embarrassing home loss to lowly Buffalo on Saturday, taking a 3-0 lead after two dominant periods. The third turned into a prolonged brawl featuring 127 penalty minutes and ending with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in the Ducks' dressing room.
Matt Beleskey scored for the Western Conference-leading Ducks, who hadn't lost since opening night on Oct. 9.
Frederik Andersen stopped 33 shots, but his 10-start winning streak ended as Anaheim wrapped up a five-game homestand with an unimpressive effort against a Pacific Division rival.
Although the Ducks are off to another strong start to the season, they couldn't match last October. Anaheim won its first eight home games last season and went 20-0-2 before its first regulation defeat in late January.
Andersen also wasn't exceptional in his first loss since March 29 last season. The Danish netminder had been 6-0 this season with a 1.32 goals-against average, becoming the first goalie in NHL history to win 26 of his first 31 decisions.
Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture had two assists apiece for the Sharks.
San Jose started well, holding Anaheim without a shot for nine minutes and taking an early lead when Burns' long, wobbly shot slipped through traffic for his third goal. Pavelski then scored on a power play in the final minute of the period, deflecting a pass from Joe Thornton in front.
The Sharks largely dominated the second period, as well, and Vlasic chipped an unassuming backhand through Andersen's legs during 4-on-4 play midway through for his second goal of the season.
Shortly after Perry and Justin Braun left the game with misconducts in the third period, a multiplayer brawl broke out in the corner. San Jose's John Scott left the bench to engage, possibly earning a suspension in a fight that ended with Andersen pulling players off the pile.
Beleskey ended Niemi's shutout bid with 5:07 to play, roofing a backhand on a power play set up by Scott's actions.
Getzlaf also got sent off after fighting James Sheppard with 3:06 to play.
There was a combined 165 penalty minutes in the game.
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