Sharks 5, Ducks 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For the second consecutive night, the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks faced an early deficit they could not overcome in a 5-3 loss to the visiting San Jose Sharks on Monday at the Honda Center.
A day after Detroit scored twice in the first period, San Jose delivered two goals less than two minutes apart just a few minutes into the game.
Defensemen Brent Burns put the Sharks ahead 1-0 less than seven minutes in, sweeping a wrist shot past Viktor Fasth at 5:46. Less than two minutes later, Joe Pavelski added his eighth goal of the season with a spinning wrist shot past Fasth.
For a team that has come from behind to win 14 times in their first 31 games -- the most since 1987-88 - an early deficit was not a death sentence. Despite cutting the lead to one twice, Anaheim could not prevail and lost for the third time in five days.
Anaheim's Emerson Etem put the Ducks on the board with his second goal of the season at 8:16 of the second period and Francois Beauchemin added Anaheim's second goal early in the third period, smashing a one-timer off the post after assists from Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
After a San Jose goal was negated with just over 12 minutes left, the Sharks added a fourth goal midway through the third period on a James Sheppard slap shot.
Corey Perry scored to bring Anaheim within a goal with less than two minutes left, but the Ducks could not tie the score despite a furious late attack and the Sharks added an empty-net goal.
NOTES: The Ducks signed right winger Radek Dvorak to a one-year contract on Sunday. ... Anaheim's Nick Bonino missed his eighth straight game with a lower-body injury. He remains listed as day to day. ... Anaheim's matchup with San Jose marked the end of a season-high five-game homestand. ... The Ducks have opened the season 2-1-1 against the Sharks, including a 5-3 win on March 18 in Anaheim. San Jose won the first game of the shortened season on Jan. 29, but Anaheim won the next two games. ... The two teams play again on March 27 in San Jose. ... The Ducks' back-to-back home games on Sunday and Monday mark the team's third this year and just their ninth in history. ... Anaheim's 48 points entering the game were third in the NHL behind Chicago (51) and Pittsburgh (50). ... San Jose's Todd McLellan became the second fastest in NHL history to reach 200 wins as a coach (333 games) earlier this year; Anaheim's Bruce Boudreau tops the category, however, reaching 200 wins in just 326 games. ... The Ducks have registered a point in 18 of their last 21 games, the best stretch in team history.
