Sharks 5, Capitals 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Joe Pavelski scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period to propel the San Jose Sharks to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night at sold-out SAP Center.
Pavelski's 32nd goal of the season came on a power play that carried over from the second period.
San Jose defenseman Brenden Dillon added his second goal of the season -- and first in 42 games -- at 2:51 for insurance. Defenseman Brent Burns added an empty-netter – his 25th goal of the season – with 43.2 seconds left.
San Jose's second win in five games at home enabled the Sharks to pull within one point of idle and second-place Anaheim while denying the Capitals a chance to clinch a playoff spot in only their 69th game of the season.
The Sharks and Capitals headed to the third period knotted at 2 after a wild second period.
Washington tied the score 1:21 into the period by converting a five-on-three power play. T.J. Oshie buried his 21st goal of the season by one-timing a cross-ice feed from Nicklas Backstrom past Sharks goalie Martin Jones.
Burns tossed the puck over the glass 33 seconds after teammate Nick Spaling high-sticked Mike Richards before the end of the first period. The Caps needed 59 seconds to score with the two-man advantage.
San Jose went back on top with another special teams' goal, this one while short-handed as Patrick Marleau scored his 20th of the season at 5:14 with teammate Joe Thornton in the box.
Marleau beat Washington backup goalie Philipp Grubauer, who was facing a two-on-none, with a pass from former Capital player Joel Ward.
Marleau's last shortie came in 2013-14 when he scored 33 goals. He had 19 each of the last two seasons.
The lead was relatively short-lived, however. Washington's Justin Williams scored his 20th goal of the season by tapping home a feed from Evgeny Kuznetsov at 10:12 after San Jose defenseman Paul Martin skated past and couldn't get back in time.
Jones poke-checked Jay Beagle after the fourth-line forward was awarded a penalty shot while killing a penalty as Burns slashed the Washington forward at 19:47.
The Sharks scored the only goal of a face-paced, emotion-filled first period -- in stark contrast to Thursday's sleeper against New Jersey.
Thornton scored his 16th goal of the season at 9:16 when he got position against Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen to punch home a rebound left of Dillon's shot from center blue. Dillon snapped a 21-game scoreless drought in the process.
Washington surrendered the first goal for the 13th time in 15 games, and the Capitals have now been outscored 8-0 in the first period in five games.
NOTES: Washington LW Alexander Ovechkin brought career stats of seven goals and 11 points in 13 games against San Jose into Saturday. He missed the first meeting on Oct. 13 after getting benched for oversleeping before the morning skate. San Jose won 5-0. ... The Sharks recalled C Micheal Haley from AHL affiliate San Jose. ... Washington brought a streak of 12 straight one-goal games into Saturday. ... San Jose C Logan Couture left Saturday's morning skate early after getting struck by a puck but was OK by game time. ... The Sharks' next host Boston on Tuesday to cap a three-game homestand. ... The Capitals face Carolina on Tuesday to open a brief two-game homestand. ... D Taylor Chorney, C Michael Latta and RW Galiev were Washington's healthy scratches. D Dylan DeMelo and D Matt Tennyson joined Haley as San Jose's healthy scratches.