SAN JOSE, Calif. — Patrick Marleau scored twice in the first period, Antti Niemi made 27 saves, and the San Jose Sharks capitalized on 10 power-play chances to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Friday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
“We realize how important tonight was,” Sharks captain Joe Thornton said. “We realize what’s at stake. The guys showed up and the fans were into it. They gave us an extra boost.”
Ryane Clowe and Dan Boyle also scored and Thornton had three assists for the Sharks, who trail the series 2-1 after winning a conference final game on home ice for the first time in franchise history.
San Jose looked like a completely different team than the one that was outscored 10-5 in losing the first two games of the series in Vancouver. The Sharks scored three times in the first period and had 15 of the first 16 shots on goal to snap an eight-game losing streak in the conference final, including a sweep last year to the Chicago Blackhawks.
“The last two have not been anywhere near par for our group,” coach Todd McLellan said. “So it was nice to see us return to the way we can play.”
Alexandre Burrows, Dan Hamhuis and Kevin Bieksa scored in the third period for Vancouver.
The Canucks nearly rallied from a three-goal deficit, thanks to a five-minute boarding call on Jamie McGinn against Aaron Rome that led to power-play goals from Hamhuis and Bieksa to cut San Jose’s lead to 4-3 with 3:56 remaining. But the Canucks couldn’t get the equalizer as they were hurt by a late penalty by Bieksa — his third of the game.
That gave the Sharks their 10th power play, something that upset Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault.
“I thought we were pretty disciplined,” Vigneault said. “So if I were to comment on what I think of the penalties, I’d get a pretty big fine. So I’m going to save my money.”
