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Sharks complete season sweep of Canucks

Jan 11, 2008 - 7:25 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Joe Thornton notched three assists and defenseman Craig Rivet scored a goal and set up another as the San Jose Sharks skated away with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

Evgeni Nabokov made 20 saves for the Sharks, who swept the four-game season series with the Canucks for the first time in franchise history and moved to 6-0-1 in their last seven games overall.

"We seem to skate really well against them," Nabokov said. "(We) used our speed to create some opportunities and second shots. They were missing three guys (Brendan Morrison and defensemen Mattias Ohlund and Kevin Bieksa), and that's huge for them also."

The game began as a conservative checking festival, as the teams combined for only three shots on goal - two by the Sharks - in the first 13 minutes of the first period.

"We just have to stay patient," Nabokov said. "We can't think that we have to score five goals every game at home. We have to be patient and take care of our own end."

San Jose then unleashed a barrage of four shots in 68 seconds on All-Star goaltender Roberto Luongo, with the fourth resulting in Rivet's fourth goal of the season.

The blue-liner received a pass in the slot by Mike Grier from along the left wing boards and slipped a wrist shot from the corner of the crease between Luongo's pads to give San Jose a 1-0 lead.

"You are not going to beat him if he sees the puck," Rivet said. "Thornton drove the net and gave me the puck. He's the one who set the screen."

The Canucks did not register their second shot until 3:17 remained in the period, when they managed two during an unsuccessful 5-on-3 power play.

"We had a chance to score a 5-on-3 (goal) and we didn't take advantage of it, then they get two power-play goals," Canucks center Ryan Kesler said. "That's the difference in the night - special teams."

With defenseman Lukas Krajicek in the box for hooking, the Sharks scored a power-play tally at 5:06 of the second session, when Jeremy Roenick backhanded a rebound from the left faceoff circle into a vacant left side of the net. The goal left Roenick alone in second place among American-born players with 503, trailing only Dallas' Mike Modano.

Milan Michalek sealed the victory for San Jose with a man-advantage goal in the third period. Thornton's centering pass was directed to Michalek by Steve Bernier, and the Czech one-timed it past Luongo's glove side for his 14th of the season.

Nabokov's bid for his sixth shutout of the season fell short with just under eight minutes left in the third period.

Kesler skated behind the net and appeared to be headed out toward the blue line. However, the center reversed direction and fired a shot from the left wing boards, beating Nabokov at 12:25 for Vancouver's only goal.

"We had a couple of chances there," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "(Alex) Burrows and Daniel Sedin had point-blank chances, but still, they were the much better team tonight. They outchanced us badly and they deserved to win."