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Nabokov looking for repeat performance in Game Three

Apr 13, 2008 - 1:50 PM San Jose at Calgary 10:00 pm EDT Western Conference quarterfinals Series tied, 1-1

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) - All-Star goaltender Evgeni Nabokov stepped up when his team need him the most.

Nabokov and the second-seeded San Jose Sharks try to take a two-games-to-one lead in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Sunday when they face the seventh-seeded Calgary Flames.

Nabokov made 21 saves en route to his sixth career postseason shutout as the Sharks evened the series with a 2-0 victory in Game Two on Thursday.

Just one day after Calgary escaped with a 3-2 victory in the opener, San Jose could not afford to fall into a two-games-to-none hole with the series heading back to the Pengrowth Saddledome. Nabokov made sure it did not happen, turning aside 10 shots in the first period, three in the second and eight in the third en route to the blanking.

"We needed a win," Nabokov said. "It didn't matter, shutout, 2-1, 3-2, we needed a win. That's the bottom line. Their team over there is playing really well. The way they defend, the way they put pressure on us, they are playing great hockey.

"I have to give my team a chance to win. That's the bottom line."

Joe Pavelski and rookie Torrey Mitchell scored second-period goals for San Jose, which outshot Calgary, 27-3, in the middle session - a statistic that did not impress Sharks coach Ron Wilson.

"I still thought we should have shot more, to be honest with you," Wilson said. "Our arms were weary there for a bit."

Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff made 41 saves for the Flames, who were outshot for the second straight game after the Sharks claimed a 39-23 advantage during Game One.