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Sharks blank Canadiens

Mar 9, 2014 - 8:18 AM San Jose, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Antti Niemi stopped 27 shots for his third shutout of the season as the San Jose Sharks downed the Montreal Canadiens, 4-0.

Logan Couture posted a goal and two assists, Tommy Wingels scored twice and Matt Nieto added a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who have won three of four.

"(Niemi) played great," said Wingels. "I think for the most part we kept them to the outside, but he made a couple big saves."

Peter Budaj gave up two goals on 11 shots before being pulled early in the second period for the Canadiens, who have dropped three of four. Dustin Tokarski gave up the other two goals on 22 shots in relief.

"We played terrible," said Canadiens' Max Pacioretty. "We didn't play our game plan, we just played awful."

The Sharks got the only goal they needed 2:26 into the game while shorthanded as Couture dumped the puck on net from the neutral zone. Budaj stopped it, but didn't know where the puck was and Wingels jammed it in.

It was Wingels again to give San Jose a 2-0 lead when Wingels deflected in a Matt Irwin left point blast at 1:54 of the second period.

Nieto made it a 3-0 game six minutes later on a one-timer from the slot off a Patrick Marleau feed.

Couture scored 43 seconds into the third, while Niemi polished off his 26th career shutout with 10 saves in the third.

Game Notes

San Jose hosts Toronto on Tuesday ... Montreal returns home to face Boston on Wednesday ... San Jose has won three straight against Montreal, including a 2-0 decision in Montreal on Oct. 26 ... Montreal was 0-for-5 on the power play, while San Jose finished the game 0-for-6.