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Streaking Sharks look to deal Wild second straight loss

Oct 21, 2006 - 2:39 PM Minnesota (6-1-0) at San Jose (6-1-0) 10:30 pm EDT

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- After suffering their first loss of the season, the Minnesota Wild try to rebound when they take on the sizzling San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

The Wild, who conclude a three-game west coast trip against the Sharks, suffered their first defeat of the season on Friday when they were edged, 2-1, by the Anaheim Ducks.

Minnesota fell behind, 2-0, in the second period before Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored his first goal of the season at 12:18 of the middle session.

Bouchard picked up a loose puck after a scramble in front of the Anaheim net and shot the puck past Anaheim netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

The Wild, who had converted 10-of-36 power-play opportunities in their first six games, were blanked in five attempts against the Ducks.

The Sharks, off to the best start in franchise history at 6-1-0, enter after an impressive 5-1 drubbing of the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

San Jose went 5-for-13 on the power play as Patrick Marleau scored twice and Milan Michalek added a goal and two assists. On the season, the Sharks are 14-for-51 (27.5 percent) with the extra skater.

Sharks netminder Vesa Toskala stopped 21 shots in raising his record to 4-0-0, upping his save percentage to .912 and lowering his goals-against average to 2.48.