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Toskala sharp in return has Sharks defeat Blue Jackets

Mar 17, 2007 - 5:51 AM SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- San Jose Sharks goaltender Vesa Toskala made his return in style.

Toskala made 35 saves and recorded his eighth career shutout in his first appearance since February 14 as the Sharks posted a 3-0 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

After missing 14 games with a groin injury, Toskala stopped seven shots in the first period, 15 in the second and 13 in the third for his fourth shutout of the season.

Toskala recorded his fourth shutout of the campaign and has combined with Evgeni Nabokov for 11 to set a single-season franchise record.

Joe Thornton, defenseman Ryane Clowe and Scott Hannan scored for the Sharks (44-25-3), who remained seven points behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks (43-17-12) in the Pacific Division.

San Jose won its fourth straight contest and moved one point ahead of the third-place Dallas Stars (42-23-5) in the Pacific Division.

Thornton scored the eventual winning goal at 16:58 of the first period when he beat Columbus goaltender Fredrik Norrena from the slot for a 1-0 advantage.

The All-Star center has three goals and nine assists in a six-game point streak and has tallied in three straight contests after going eight games without a goal.

Clowe gave the Sharks a 2-0 advantage with 39 seconds left in the middle session when his slap shot from the right point beat a partially-screened Norrena.

Milan Michalek set up Thornton's goal and Hannan's empty-net tally and has six assists in his last three contests. He had a goal and and two assists in San Jose's 5-1 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday.

Norrena made 21 saves for Columbus, which has lost three of its last four outings.