Vancouver's 2-minute drill puts San Jose on brink

Leading up to Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, both teams vowed to stay out of the penalty box.

Neither did Sunday at HP Pavilion, but the Sharks were unable to convert any of their many early power-play chances, and then San Jose suddenly began handing the top-seeded Canucks two-man advantages by the fistful in a 4-2 loss to Vancouver.

The Canucks, who scored a postseason-record three 5-on-3 goals Sunday, have won three of the first four games, and they can close out the best-of-seven series Tuesday night at home.

"If we lose another game, we're done, that's it," Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle said.

San Jose captain Joe Thornton, who leads the team with 17 points this postseason, is a question mark for Tuesday night after missing the final 10 minutes. Sharks coach Todd McLellan said he did not have an update on Thornton's status after the game.

Vancouver, which failed to convert on two 5-on-3s on Friday, did not let any of the opportunities pass Sunday, and the goals came fast and furious - three in less than two minutes in the second period, including two by defenseman Sami Salo.

"We got away with it the last game," Boyle said of Game 3. "Tonight, we didn't."

San Jose had no infractions until Dany Heatley was called for high-sticking 8:15 into the second period. Less than a minute later, Torrey Mitchell went into the box for hooking, and 11 second after that, Ryan Kesler ripped one in from the left circle.

That took Heatley out of the box, but - this is going to start sounding repetitive - less than two minutes later, the Sharks were called for too many men on the ice. That was the only one of the officiating decisions that was contested in the Sharks' room, and even that only a little; center Logan Couture believed Patrick Marleau had exited.

"I thought Patty had come off the ice, I jumped on," Couture said. "I didn't think it was a penalty, but I'd have to see it on tape to make sure."

This time, it took Vancouver 14 seconds to score, with Salo banging one in from the top through traffic.

The next Sharks' miscue came six seconds later when defenseman Douglas Murray sent the puck over the glass, an automatic delay-of-game penalty.

"Obviously, when I shoot the puck over the glass, that can't happen," said Murray, who thought there was a chance that a Vancouver player had gotten a stick on it. "No excuse. ... A rule's a rule."

Ten seconds later, the Canucks got another blast from Salo, who moved into the slot, took a pass from Henrik Sedin and unloaded for a 3-0 Vancouver lead. Salo, who also assisted on the first goal, missed the first four months of the season with a torn Achilles, and he had one goal in his first 12 games this postseason.

Vancouver scored at even strength 5:43 into the third period, when Sedin, who had four assists, streaked on a breakaway with Alexandre Burrows and slid a pass between goalie Antti Niemi's legs as Burrows was arriving in the crease to tap it home.

San Jose responded just more than a minute later when fourth-liner Andrew Desjardins tipped in a shot by Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and with just more than four minutes to go, Ryane Clowe put one in from the left circle. In the final 2:12. Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo stopped three shots, Heatley had two blocked and the Sharks missed the net twice.

And now it's back to Vancouver, where the Canucks won the first two games and had the league's best regular-season home record.

"The series is far from over," Luongo said. "We know that, as we've seen in the first two series, the last one is always the toughest one to win."

Western finals

Sharks vs. Canucks

Canucks lead series 3-1

Game 1: Canucks 3, Sharks 2

Game 2: Canucks 7, Sharks 3

Game 3: Sharks 4, Canucks 3

Game 4: Canucks 4, Sharks 2

Tuesday: at Vancouver, 6 p.m.

Thursday: at HP Pavilion, 6 p.m.*

Saturday: at Vancouver, 5 p.m.*

TV: Remaining games on Versus. Radio: 98.5/102.1.

* if necessary

Michael Rosenberg: How did Red Wings pull off Game 5 miracle, beat Sharks?

You might want to be careful as you read this column, because it comes with a disclaimer: I have no earthly idea what I just saw. I have no clue how the Red Wings beat the Sharks to keep their season alive. I just know they did.

Just call this The Miracle at HP Pavilion. OK, I'll admit: That's a stupid name for a miracle. I don't care. The Sharks skated circles around the Wings, figuratively and sometimes literally. They built leads of 2-0 and 3-1, and the way Sunday night's game was going, both leads seemed insurmountable. But the Red Wings ...surmounted. It was incomprehensible.

This was a Grand Theft Hockey, and I’m still trying to reconstruct the crime scene. I know center Pavel Datsyuk was great when he had to be, in the third period, and goalie Jimmy Howard was great when he had to be, for the entire game. Sharks coach Todd McLellan told investigators afterward that his team had “two-on-ones … three-on-ones …” and I wanted to give him a glass of water and a cold compress.

“We didn’t play a poor game,” McLellan said. “And that’s hard to swallow. I thought we actually had some poise and composure in the third period.”

McLellan slipped and referred to “our collapse,” though his lawyers may argue he was under heavy interrogation at the time. Anyway, it wasn’t really a collapse. The Wings had scored three goals on five shots.

Early in the third period, the Wings were down, 3-1, and the math was a head-scratcher: They obviously needed three more goals, but how would they even get three more shots? Wherever the Wings tried to go, the Sharks were already there. Whatever the Wings tried to do, the Sharks had already done.

And yet: Jonathan Ericsson scored. Danny Cleary scored. The game was tied and the arena was quiet -- everybody knew the Sharks should have wrapped up Game 5 long ago.

It felt like the Wings could have been down 6-1 instead of 2-1. As hockey people say, Jimmy Howard needed to stand on his head. Also, he needed to hide the goal in a dark basement so the Sharks couldn’t find it. Alas, that is not legal. Trust me. I checked.

The Wings were playing for their season, but coach Mike Babcock said bluntly that “we weren’t competitive enough up front.” Yet Howard, who has been perpetually underestimated, kept his team in the game. The final shot totals were Sharks 42, Wings 22. My first question for Howard was borne of curiosity: Aren’t you tired?

“I had a great night’s sleep last night,” he said. “I had a good nap today after the pregame meal. So I felt good out there.”

If sleep is all it took to play like this, the best goaltenders in the world would be cats. Howard had a night for the ages. And still that doesn’t explain what happened.

Datsuk was his usual brilliant self – lifting sticks, stealing pucks, leaving no fingerprints.

“He just amazes us every single night,” Howard said. “He’s a world-class player.

Howard also said, “You can’t say anything bad about the guy,” but naturally, on this crazy night, Babcock did just that: “I didn’t think he was great early.” That may be partly because Datsyuk had an injured wrist. You know the wrist is in bad shape because he didn’t take a single faceoff. (“Good investigative reporting,” Babcock cracked, when somebody pointed that out.)

Meanwhile, the team’s best postseason scorer, Johan Franzen, is hobbling so much that he got benched. The Mule is battling a bum hoof and didn’t even play in the third period.

So when Tomas Holmstrom shot high for the unassisted game-winner, it was still hard to believe. The Sharks dominated almost the whole game. They had way more shots, much better chances. The only thing Detroit really did better than San Jose was the only thing that matters: Find the back of the net.

The Sharks had to be so shocked I didn't know if I should go in their locker room to ask questions or send flowers. Coach Todd McLellan didn't even address his team afterward. There was nothing he could say.

The Wings still have to win Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road to advance to the conference finals. I don’t know what to make of their chances. Is it a bad sign that they have to beat a team that thoroughly outplayed them in Game 5? Or will the Sharks be so stunned that the Wings have a huge mental edge?

How the heck should I know? I can’t even figure out in the game they already played.

Whatever happens the rest of the way, give the Wings credit for winning this one. They had every reason to crack. They did not get catch any breaks from the officials. Nicklas Lidstrom was whistled for tripping when his stick got caught, and Datsyuk was whistled for holding for reasons that remain a mystery to me.

And, as I may have mentioned: They were severely outplayed.

It didn’t matter. Howard was so great, Datsyuk was so masterful, and the Wings so mentally tough that they somehow found a way to win. I don't know what that way was, exactly. It might take me six months and four private detectives to figure it out. I just know they did it. The Red Wings are alive, well and going home for Game 6. What a resilient team. What an incredible sport.

Sharks take 3-0 lead with another OT win over Wings

Devin Setoguchi completed the hat trick at the 9:21 mark of overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 3 of a Western Conference semifinal series.

In the extra session, Joe Thornton caught up to the puck at the right boards and stopped there. He looked up and sent a pass to the top of the right circle for Setoguchi, who snapped a shot on net that went off the stick of Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg and sailed into the net for the win.

"You need heroes and you need people to step up and he was the guy tonight," said San Jose head coach Todd McLellan. "He's got a tremendous trigger and always puts himself in a good position to shoot the puck."

Dan Boyle tied the game with 4:08 to play in regulation while Thornton finished the game with three assists for the Sharks, who have a 3-0 lead in this series and will look to close it out in Detroit on Friday.

All three games in the series have been decided in overtime.

Antti Niemi stopped 38 shots for San Jose, which also went up 3-0 in the semifinals last season against Detroit before winning the series in five games.

Nicklas Lidstrom had a goal and an assist while Pavel Datsyuk and Patrick Eaves each had a goal for Detroit, which has dropped seven straight playoff games to San Jose by one goal. Jimmy Howard made 34 stops in the loss.

"It's a tough loss and it's especially tough cause we had the lead late and let them tie the game," said Lidstrom. "We just have to dig deep and find a way to win the next game."

The first goal of the game came at the 12:57 mark of the first period when Setoguchi tipped in the puck from in front on the power play to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead.

Detroit, though, tied the game with 19.3 seconds left in the opening frame as Lidstrom's one-timer from the slot off a turnaround backhand pass by Zetterberg beat Niemi for a power-play marker.

The Red Wings took a 2-1 lead when Eaves backhanded in the puck from the left circle after a scramble in front at the 13:59 mark of the second.

The Sharks tied the game with a power-play tally less than a minute later when Setoguchi blasted a shot from the left circle that he didn't get all of, but got enough to beat Howard.

Skating on the power play later in the second, Detroit took a 3-2 advantage as Datsyuk's sharp wrister from the left circle off a feed from Zetterberg beat Niemi with 1:43 left in the middle frame.

The Sharks were able to send the game to overtime when Kyle Wellwood sent a blind, sweeping pass from the deep left boards that made its way over to the right side for Boyle, who snapped a shot into the net.

Game Notes

Lidstrom's goals was the 29th of his playoff career, breaking Denis Potvin's mark for defensemen and tying Mario Lemieux for fifth-place all-time. His assist was his 128th in the playoffs and tied him for fifth with Doug Gilmour...Both teams went 2-for-4 on the power play...Thornton has seven assists in the playoffs.

Sharks know they can win in L.A.

The San Jose Sharks had another meltdown on home ice Saturday night and made another in-game switch at goaltender.

So instead of celebrating a series-clinching win over the Los Angeles Kings, the Sharks are preparing for Game 6 Monday night and facing a brewing goaltender controversy after suffering a 3-1 loss at HP Pavilion.

The good news for the Sharks? They get to play their next game in Los Angeles, where they've won two straight, scoring six goals each time.

"It's the playoffs. Anything can happen," Sharks captain Joe Thornton said after the loss. "We realize this. We realize it's going to be a long, hard series. We expected they were going to try and come quick. We played well for 60, but just not good enough and we'll have to play better next game.

"The upside is we play well in L.A. We played well in L.A. through Games 3 and 4, and now we just got to go win down there."

The Sharks suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss to the Kings in Game 2 at HP Pavilion, when they were booed off the ice. This time they spotted Los Angeles a quick 3-0 lead, committing a flurry of turnovers that the Kings capitalized on.

Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Clifford and Dustin Penner each scored a goal in the first 8:42 of the opening period against Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi. That was it for Niemi, who gave up those three goals on just four shots. He gave way to backup Antero Niittymaki, who held the Kings scoreless the rest of the way.

Niemi was also pulled from Game 3 for Niittymaki in Los Angeles after the Kings took a 4-0 lead early in the second period. The Sharks rallied to score five goals in the second and went on to win 6-5 in overtime that night, but Niemi was back in goal for Game 4.

So, does Sharks coach Todd McLellan have a decision to make at goaltender for Game 6?

"We have one every night to make," McLellan said. "We feel that we have two quality guys. Again, you look at the goals. The first one was a heck of a deflection. … The second one he makes a great save on the 2-on-1 that shouldn't exist. You turn the puck over and the rebound goes in the net. So I'm not sure you finger the goaltender for that one. And then the third one he's fairly deep in his net, and I think he knows that, but at that point we needed to change something."

Sharks forward Ryane Clowe said it wouldn't surprise him if Niemi started Game 6.

"On the other hand, Niitty, you've got to give the guy credit. I mean, coming in cold again and making some great saves," Clowe gushed. "Too bad we couldn't get a couple for him. He made some game-saving (saves) to give us an opportunity to stay in it."

Kings coach Terry Murray never considered making a change at goaltender, even after Jonathan Quick gave up those 12 goals in two losses in Los Angeles. Quick rewarded his coach by making 51 saves on Saturday night. The Sharks weren't surprised to see Quick respond the way he did.

"He's an elite goalie so nights are going to happen like that," Sharks forward Logan Couture said. "If we can get 50 on him or 40 on him in L.A., I think it will be a little different story. We knew he was going to bounce back. He's a great goalie for a reason."

Patrick Marleau scored the only Sharks goal, hammering a rebound past Quick to make it 3-1 at 5:43 of the second, but that was their last goal, although far from their last chance. The Sharks had three of their four power plays after that, but the Kings killed the final three, just like they did the first one.

"He made a lot of good saves," Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle said. "What did we have, 52 shots? Obviously not all quality chances, but we had a lot of looks. Obviously a handful of mistakes early and three pucks were in our net. Other than that, you can’t question the work ethic or the heart. Everybody was trying hard. Just stupid mental errors early."

San Jose Sharks clinch No. 2 West seed with win

Maybe it did take all 82 games, but the uncomplicated part is over.

The Sharks earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference at HP Pavilion on Saturday night with a 3-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, playing the kind of hockey they hope will carry over into the Stanley Cup playoffs that begin this week.

The complicated part -- whom the Sharks will face in the first round -- remains to be sorted out Sunday with the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Coyotes and Nashville Predators all a possibility.

"The intensity was there, and it was something we needed to experience this week so we can get ready for what lies ahead," said coach Todd McLellan, whose team had looked uninspired for long stretches in losing its previous two games.

Goals by Ian White, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture provided the offense, but it was goaltender Antti Niemi, who made 35 saves while giving up a goal to Lauri Korpikoski, who earned much of the credit for the two points that gave San Jose 105 for the season.

"Was he good? When we made mistakes, he was there to make some tremendous saves," McLellan said. "There's not many nights on the bench where I turn to the coaches, and we're all going 'Wow!' "

Had the Sharks lost, they would have had to wait until the outcome of Sunday morning's game between the Detroit and Chicago to know their final spot in the standings, but the Red Wings can no longer catch San Jose for second place.

Now, if Chicago wins in regulation or overtime, the Sharks will face Phoenix. If Chicago loses in overtime, the Sharks will face the Blackhawks. If Chicago loses in regulation, the Sharks will face Los Angeles. And if Chicago wins in a shootout, the Sharks will face Nashville.

The No. 2 seed is significant only if the Sharks advance beyond the first round because it guarantees home ice in the next one.

The Sharks had struggled since clinching the Pacific Division title Monday night, getting blown out in Anaheim and dropping a 4-3 decision Friday night in Phoenix.

San Jose was also missing injured forward Ryane Clowe for a third consecutive game, with Benn Ferriero called up from Worcester to fill Clowe's spot in the lineup.

The game was scoreless into the second period when White's goal at 7:11 on a 52-foot one-timer capped a 57-second sequence that saw the Sharks put three shots on net, send two wide and had three others blocked.

"It seems whenever you get momentum and get some shots off, there's a good chance you're going to get the puck back," White said. "It was a great momentum shift for us, and fortunately one of them went in."

White had gone 21 games without a goal since being traded from Carolina in February, but had one in each of the past two games.

Pavelski's power play goal at 18:37 of the second period from just outside the crease was his 20th of the season and enabled the Sharks to finish the season as the only NHL team with seven players to hit that mark.

Phoenix got on the scoreboard at 8:36 of the final period when Korpikoski blocked a shot by Jason Demers, then scored on the breakaway that followed, but Couture's 32nd goal of the season on a power play at 18:29 assured the Sharks of their second-place finish.

The Sharks finished the past two seasons as the West's No. 1 seed, reaching the Western Conference finals a year ago after being upset in the first round the previous season. Vancouver topped the conference this season.

"Going into the playoffs, we're all excited about it," McLellan said. "I think there's less talk and less hype about our team, which will help us. We've experienced the Vancouver scenario -- I have as a coach more than once -- and that's a tough one. We like where we're at, and it's up to us now to get ready and be prepared."

From White's perspective, it's all good.

"I've been warming up for this for six years now," said the well-traveled 26-year-old defenseman who will be seeing his first postseason action after 401 NHL games.

The victory was McLellan's 152nd since taking over behind the San Jose bench, enabling him to tie Mike Keenan for most NHL wins by a coach over his first three seasons.

But that is one record that the Sharks coach considers less than meaningful.

"You're asking me about a stat that's really quite irrelevant when it comes to me, and I bet Mike Keenan would tell you the same thing," McLellan said recently. "It's different eras, the games are tracked differently."

Seventeen of McLellan's victories, for example, came in the shootout. When Keenan set the mark between 1984 and 1987, games that weren't resolved in overtime ended as ties.

Annual team awards for 2010-11 went to Niemi as the Sharks MVP and Logan Couture as rookie of the year by a media vote. Patrick Marleau won the title of "fan favorite" in online voting.