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Sharks shut out Ducks to end skid

Jan 1, 2015 - 4:51 AM Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Joe Pavelski's two goals and a 28-save effort from Antti Niemi got the San Jose Sharks back on track with a 3-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center.

Logan Couture added a goal and an assist to help end an 0-2-1 stretch for the Sharks that began with an overtime loss to the Ducks in Anaheim on Dec. 22.

"Antti is one of the best goalies in this league," Sharks forward Tommy Wingels said. "He was on tonight, he was seeing pucks. He had really good rebound control."

The Ducks had a five-game home win streak halted as they failed to generate a consistent offensive attack despite the return of sniper Corey Perry from a knee injury that sidelined him for the team's last 10 contests.

"We put ourselves behind the eight ball right away. We took three penalties in the first period," said Perry. "You can't play that way against a team like that. We let our emotions get the best of us."

Frederik Andersen stopped 24-of-26 shots in the loss.

The Sharks started the game out strong courtesy of Pavelski, who successfully redirected a puck sent towards the Anaheim net by Marc-Edouard Vlasic just 4:33 into the game on San Jose's third shot of the night.

San Jose put up 14 shots to the Ducks' three during an opening period they dominated, then got 10 saves from Niemi as Anaheim put up more of a challenge in the second.

A scrum at the conclusion at the second period led to the Sharks beginning the third with a 5-on-3 power play, with Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in addition to roughing calls on Perry and Ryan Kesler.

The Sharks capitalized with just one second remaining in the 5-on-3, as Pavelski one-timed a give from Brent Burns as Andersen was slow to cover an open left side.

Niemi polished off his third shutout of the season by making 15 saves in the final frame, with Couture putting the finishing touches on the victory with an empty-net goal with 2:05 left.

Game Notes

Sharks center Joe Thornton assisted on Pavelski's first goal to extend his point streak to five games, but left with an undisclosed injury late in the first period and did not return ... Getzlaf had an eight-game point streak halted ... Pavelski has notched a point in eight straight meetings with the Ducks ... Anaheim finished December with a 10-3-1 record and closed out the 2014 calendar year with 49 regular-season wins, tops in the NHL.