Sharks 3 - 2 Canucks
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Sharks, Canucks do battle in Vancouver

Jan 2, 2012 - 3:58 PM (Sports Network) - In what has been a very competitive series over the past year, the Vancouver Canucks have been able to get the edge on the San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks seek a fourth straight victory over the Sharks this evening in the second meeting between the clubs in less than a week.

Vancouver has won both of its encounters with San Jose this season on the road by identical 3-2 scores. The first win came in regulation on Nov. 26 prior to last Wednesday's overtime win.

After the Sharks got goals from Joe Thornton and Logan Couture in the second period to tie the game, the Canucks' Andrew Ebbett tipped in a Kevin Bieksa shot with 1:37 left in overtime to secure the victory for Vancouver.

Ryan Kesler and Daniel Sedin added goals for the Canucks, who got 33 saves from Roberto Luongo.

"It was a pretty intense game out there tonight," said Luongo. "There wasn't much room out there and guys were mixing it up."

Antti Niemi made 27 saves for the Sharks, who have lost their past two games overall and trail the Kings by two points for first place in the Pacific Division.

Each of the past five games between these two clubs have been decided by one goal, with the Canucks winning four of those. Three of those games have all gone past regulation and San Jose snapped a two-game slide in Vancouver with a shootout win there last January.

"We had some good chances. It could have went either way," said Thornton. "A lot of our games could go either way. For whatever reason, it's just falling on their side right now and hopefully we'll change that [tonight]."

San Jose is winless in its last four games on the road (0-2-2) and has been idle since hosting Vancouver last week. The Canucks, meanwhile, kicked off a three-game road trip with that win and bested the Ducks the following night for a third straight victory before dropping a 4-1 decision in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Bieksa scored the lone goal and has seven points over a six-game point streak for the Canucks, while Luongo was tagged for all four goals on 33 shots.

"They battled in front of the net and it was a very physical game," said Vancouver defenseman Dan Hamhuis. "We were disappointed to lose, but you can't win every game."

Henrik Sedin had an assist to give him an NHL-leading 46 points on the season.

The Canucks lead the Wild by two points for the top spot in the Northwest Division and have won seven of their last nine at home.






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