Sharks Top Canucks for 4th Straight Time

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SAN JOSE — Jeremy Roenick and Milan Michalek scored power play goals, and the San Jose Sharks beat Vancouver 3-1 Thursday night for their sixth victory in seven games.

Craig Rivet had a goal and an assist, and Evgeni Nabokov celebrated his All-Star selection with 20 saves for the Sharks, who have just eight home wins despite their first-place standing. Joe Thornton, the Sharks' other All-Star along with coach Ron Wilson, picked up three assists to avoid his first three-game scoring drought since late 2006.

San Jose has won all four of its meetings this season with the Canucks. The clubs entered the game with 52 points apiece, tied for third place in the Western Conference. The victory vaulted the Sharks back into a tie for first place with Dallas in the Pacific Division.

Roberto Luongo stopped 28 shots for Vancouver, and Ryan Kesler ended Nabokov's shutout bid with 7:35 to play.

Nabokov, who has started all 42 of the Sharks' games, picked up his NHL-leading 24th victory. He has blown five shutout bids in the third period this season, including three in the last 11 days, but the Canucks didn't come close to scoring again after Kesler's goal.

Luongo and Nabokov have been among the NHL's elite goalies all season, and they would have been teammates at the All-Star game later in the month if Luongo hadn't decided to skip the game to be with his pregnant wife in their offseason Florida home. Luongo was voted the West starter by the fans, but Nabokov might replace him after getting added to the team as a reserve.

The Sharks hadn't scored two power-play goals in a game since Nov. 30, with their unit slipping into the bottom third of the NHL. San Jose awoke against the Canucks, with several scoring chances resulting in two sharp goals.

But San Jose scored first late in the opening period on a remarkable effort by Mike Grier, who forced a turnover and led an odd-man rush before feeding Rivet and screening Luongo while the defenseman scored his fourth goal. Rivet has three goals in five games after getting just two in his first 35 games this season.

Vancouver managed just three shots in the first period despite nearly a full minute of two-man advantage. Roenick added his eighth goal during a power play early in the second with a smooth backhand of Rivet's rebound.

Michalek added his 14th goal midway through the third, controlling the rebound of Thornton's shot and hitting the net behind Nabokov's shoulder. Thornton has 200 assists in his first 181 games with San Jose.

Kesler finally scored for Vancouver on a desperate shot that caught the post and bounced in behind Nabokov, who misplayed it.

Notes:@ Vancouver claimed C Kris Beech off waivers from Columbus earlier in the day. Beech has five goals and four assists in 16 games with the Blue Jackets. ... LW Jeff Cowan returned to Vancouver's lineup after missing 13 games with a shoulder injury. ... Sharks D Kyle McLaren was in the lineup despite missing practice this week to rest his balky knee.

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