Sharks 6, Stars 0
Patrick Marleau scored two goals on a team-record 12 shots, and Antti Niemi made 29 saves as the San Jose Sharks clinched a playoff berth with a 6-0 victory over the visiting Dallas Stars on Thursday.
Calder Trophy candidate Logan Couture, Ben Eager, and defensemen Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also had goals for the Sharks (45-23-9), who moved past Detroit and into second in the Western Conference, and increased their Pacific Division lead to four points over Phoenix.
San Jose had a season-high 52 shots while improving to 6-0-1 in its last seven games.
Niemi recorded his sixth shutout of the season in his 32nd straight start. He is 23-4-4 during the streak.
The Stars (38-27-11) remain tied for ninth with Calgary in the Western Conference, three points behind eighth-place Chicago.
Boyle scored the first goal at 16:12 of a hard-hitting first period when he hustled to join the play from his own blue line, and was rewarded when he popped the rebound of Joe Pavelski's shot past Kari Lehtonen. Pavelski has 14 points in his last seven games.
Couture made it 2-0 at 4:30 of the second period when he grabbed the puck out of the air in front of the crease, dropped it on his stick and beat Lehtonen with a backhander. His 31 goals are tied for first among rookies with the New York Islanders' Michael Grabner.
Marleau scored consecutive goals in the third period to make it 5-0.
Joe Thornton and Jamal Mayers had two assists apiece, and Kyle Wellwood registered his 100th career assist.