• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

McLellan seeking stronger performance from Sharks

Jan 6, 2009 - 1:31 PM San Jose (29-4-5) at Calgary (23-12-4), 9:00 pm EST

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The San Jose Sharks own the best record in the NHL, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. Just ask coach Todd McLellan.

The Sharks will strive for a better performance against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

San Jose turned a three-goal lead into a nail-bitter after allowing a pair of goals in the final 3:10 of Saturday's 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders. The Sharks, who improved to 19-0-2 at home, hung on as captain Patrick Marleau scored an empty-netter with 10 seconds left to seal the win.

"We will focus on the lapses that let them back in the game," McLellan said. "It's unacceptable that we are up 4-1 with three minutes in the game and we go on the power play and give them a shorthanded goal.

"We have a lot of learning to do. We have an empty net with 15 seconds and the puck at the hash marks and we try to pass it. That's unacceptable."

The Flames had their five-game winning streak snapped, falling to the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2, on Sunday.

Despite the setback, Calgary is still 12-3-3 over its last 18 contests.