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Sharks hold on to defeat Ducks

Feb 3, 2011 - 6:20 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Ryane Clowe's power-play goal late in the second period proved to be the game-winner, as the San Jose Sharks held on to beat the Anaheim Ducks, 4-3, at Honda Center.

Dany Heatley, Ben Eager and Jason Demers each scored in the first period for the Sharks, who kicked off a seven-game road trip with their sixth win in seven outings. Dan Boyle and Devin Setoguchi both collected two assists, while Antti Niemi stopped 27-of-30 shots.

"This is the way you want to start a road trip, with a win," Clowe said. "We found a way tonight. It was intense. It was physical right from the start. We got on the board with three quick ones. The pace kept up. We knew they were going to keep coming."

Bobby Ryan's wrister from the high slot drew Anaheim with a goal at the 5:36 mark of the third period, but the Ducks saw their home winning streak snapped at four games.

Jonas Hiller was pulled in favor of Curtis McElhinney after the former yielded three goals on 10 shots. McElhinney made 17 saves in relief.

San Jose scored three times before the contest was 12 minutes old.

Heatley found the back of the net just 14 seconds after the game's opening faceoff. Heatley collected the puck behind the Anaheim net and attempted a wraparound backhand that Hiller turned away initially, but Heatley banged home the rebound.

Eager lit the lamp at 7:34 when he skated in against Anaheim defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky and fired a wrist shot from the left point that eluded Hiller on the blocker side.

Demers' one-timer from up high made it 3-0 at 11:15.

"We were lethargic to start the game and going down 3-0 to a division rival is a tough hole to crawl out of," Ryan said.

Joffrey Lupul put the Ducks on the board 5:44 into the second period before the clubs traded power-play goals later in the stanza. Clowe restored San Jose's three-goal cushion at 15:39, but rookie Cam Fowler deposited a loose puck at the left side of the net a little over two minutes later.

Game Notes

Saku Koivu picked up his 500th career assist on Fowler's goal...San Jose was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Anaheim finished 1-for-5.