Sharks 3, Wild 0
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Having already clinched a playoff spot, the San Jose Sharks looked like a team that's tuning itself up for a long run.
Two goals by Patrick Marleau and another by Logan Couture, along with a strong start in the net by James Reimer, sparked a 3-0 Sharks win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. It was the fourth win in five games for San Jose.
Minnesota still clinched a playoff berth as the Colorado Avalanche lost to the Predators.
The Wild lost their fourth consecutive game and again struggling offensively, scoring five total goals in the four-game losing streak. Goalie Devan Dubnyk had 17 saves for Minnesota (38-32-11).
Reimer had 29 saves for San Jose (45-29-6) to earn his third shutout in the eight starts he's made since joining the Sharks from Toronto in a late February trade.
The Sharks scored on their first shot of the game, less than five minutes in. The deflected puck popped high in the air and was gloved by Couture, who set it down near the top of the crease, then got off a deflected shot that bounced over Dubnyk's stick and left leg. It was the fifth goal in the past four games for Couture.
Minnesota's power play failed to convert on opportunities to tie the game late in the first period and again early in the second. Instead it was Marleau doubling the Sharks lead on a power play goal. Just seconds after Dubnyk made a highlight reel glove save, Marleau was able to pop a high shot over the goalie's right shoulder.
The second goal seemed to wake the Wild up, and they out-shot San Jose by a wide margin the rest of the way, but couldn't solve Reimer. Marleau added his second goal with just 1:45 to play, drawing a round of boos from the Wild fans still in the building.
NOTES: The Wild honored the basketball team from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul on Tuesday, introducing coach John Tauer to the crowd before the game. The Tommies went 30-3 this season and beat Benedictine (Ill.) on March 19 to claim the school's first NCAA Division III title. ... The first round of the playoffs will be an all-California affair for the Sharks. They are most likely to face the Los Angeles Kings, but could wind up facing the Anaheim Ducks depending on how the final week of the regular season plays out. ... Minnesota shook up its defensive corps after a disappointing 5-1 road loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. The Wild sent D Mike Reilly down to its Iowa AHL team and recalled D Christian Folin. In addition, D Jared Spurgeon's return from a two-game absence due to injury made D Matt Dumba a healthy scratch on Tuesday. ... Sharks C Joe Pavelski made the top quartet in an on-line bracket conducted by Yahoo Sports, asking fans to vote for their favorite former college hockey players in the NHL. Pavelski, who was part of Wisconsin's 2006 NCAA title team, made the final four alongside Kings G Jonathan Quick (UMass), Blackhawks C Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) and Flames LW Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College).