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Third period outburst helps Sharks beat Canucks

Oct 16, 2007 - 6:29 AM VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- Joe Pavelski scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the flood gates opened.

Pavelski beat Roberto Luongo to the left side with a deft deke and the San Jose Sharks scored three goals in the next three minutes to post a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.

With the game tied, 1-1, in the third, the Sharks had a man-advantage and won a faceoff in the right circle. Pavelski went around the front of the net and forced Luongo to come out of goal with a deke and then beat him to the left side for a 2-1 lead 2:33 into the period.

"That's how you win the games," Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov said. "That's the difference in the game. When you score in the third period, obviously the third period is always the key period. The guys showed their character (tonight)."

Just 1:12 later Joe Thornton took a pass from the right circle and came straight at Luongo before slipping the puck into the left corner past the diving netminder for a 3-1 lead.

The offensive barrage continued as defenseman Christian Ehrhoff hit a slap shot that was deflected by Luongo and Jonathan Cheechoo was there for the rebound to make the score 4-1 just 5:53 into the period.

"Eventually I've got to start scoring on those chances," said Cheechoo, who was pointless in five games entering Monday. "It's nice to get the first one. Hopefully I can build off that."

The Sedin twins helped the Canucks pull within 4-2 on a power-play goal as Daniel Sedin took at pass in front of the net and found Henrik on the right corner. Henrik quickly gathered the pass and fired a wrist shot past an out-of-position Evgeni Nabokov with 6:43 left.

"We did a good job the first periods, then they got away from us in the third," said Daniel Sedin, who along with brother Henrik extended their respective point streaks to five games. "When they get their chances, they're going to capitalize."

Vancouver's Taylor Pyatt broke a scoreless tie with 14:52 left the second period after a penalty-filled first session.

With Steve Bernier in the box serving a bench minor for too many men on the ice, Pyatt drove to the net and redirected a rebound off Brad Isbister's shot that had gone off the post.

It was Pyatt's second goal in as many games after going scoreless in his first four games of the season.

Prior to that the Canucks had gone 0-for-4 on power-play opportunities.

Vancouver nearly made it 2-0 shortly thereafter. With the Sedin twins buzzing around the net, Daniel Sedin found himself on top of the goal crease starring at wide open cage but had his shot stopped by Nabokov who dove over to his right to make a desperation save.

"(Nabokov) made some huge saves in the second period when it could have gotten out of hand," said Sharks coach Ron Wilson. "It was 1-0 and they missed an empty net. They missed a chance to put the game out of reach and we took advantage."

The Sharks tied the game at 1-1 on a two-man advantage with Canucks' defensemen Willie Mitchell and Mattias Ohlund in the box.

Bernier took a pass up the middle of the ice from Patrick Marleau and broke in on a breakaway and slid the puck between Luongo's pads with 3:04 left in the second. Nabokov also picked up an assist on the goal.

Nabokov stopped 24 shots for San Jose, which snapped Vancouver's two-game winning streak.

Luongo stopped 30 shots for the Canucks, who were 2-for-7 on the power play.