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Pavelski scores twice, lifts Sharks past Ducks

Sep 22, 2007 - 5:56 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Preseason games don't count, but you'd be hard-pressed to convince the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.

Joe Pavelski scored two power-play goals as the Sharks claimed a 3-1 triumph on Friday night for their second victory in three days over the Ducks.

The teams played just over 55 minutes of scoreless hockey in Anaheim on Wednesday before Dennis Packard scored the game's only goal to give San Jose a win.

On Friday, the teams played in San Jose, and the checking was tight early on as neither team registered a shot on goal for nearly five minutes. It took the Ducks more than eight to record their first.

Pavelski opened the scoring on a power play at 11:01 of the first period, when he slapped a shot from the right point past goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov's blocker. Pavelski was set up with a cross-ice pass from defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic just off the left boards.

The San Jose crowd of 14,837 came to life in the second period, when netminder Evgeni Nabokov stopped perennial nemesis Chris Pronger's point-blank shot from the left point during a power play to preserve the 1-0 edge.

Nabokov, who made 18 saves and played all but the final two minutes, is firmly entrenched as the No. 1 goalie after the Sharks traded Vesa Toskala to Toronto during the offseason.

The second overall pick in 2005, Bobby Ryan snapped a backhander past Nabokov's skate from 10 feet out on the right side to even the game at 1-1 at 7:01 of the second period. The Sharks had held the reigning Stanley Cup champions scoreless for 87 minutes before the tally, including Wednesday's shutout.

The ice tilted San Jose's way after Anaheim's first goal as the Sharks registered the final 13 shots of the second period.

Devin Setoguchi snapped the tie 10 1/2 minutes into the session, beating Bryzgalov to the stick side from the slot after collecting a rebound. The goal was the 2005 first-round pick's second of the preseason as he tries to earn a roster spot.

San Jose's third goal also came on a power play, just after its third 5-on-3 expired.

Defenseman Kyle McLaren intercepted a clearing pass and flipped it to Pavelski along the left wing boards. Pavelski stickhandled around blue-liner Brett Skinner and snapped a shot past Bryzgalov from the left circle, giving the Sharks a two-goal advantage with just over four minutes to play.

The Sharks outshot the Ducks, 30-6, over the game's final 33 minutes.

San Jose failed to score on any of its three 5-on-3 man advantages despite peppering Bryzgalov with eight shots.