Sharks 3, Ducks 0: Joe Pavelski registered his fifth two-goal performance of the season and Antti Niemi posted his third shutout as visiting San Jose halted its three-game slide (0-2-1).

Logan Couture recorded an empty-net tally and an assist while defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic set up a pair of goals for the Sharks, who improved to 3-0-1 against league-leading Anaheim this season. Niemi made 15 of his 28 saves in the third period to secure his 30th career blanking.

Frederik Andersen turned aside 24 shots for the Ducks, who fell to 2-1-1 on their eight-game homestand. Anaheim went 0-for-3 on the power play as its five-game home winning streak and three-game overall point run both came to an end.

San Jose grabbed an early lead as Vlasic fired a shot from the left point that Pavelski tipped past Andersen from the slot 4:33 into the contest. Joe Thornton notched an assist on the goal before being on the receiving end of a hard hit by Ducks defenseman Clayton Stoner midway through the first and leaving the game.

Tempers flared at the end of the period as Anaheim took offense to Corey Perry being hit late, resulting in a 5-on-3 power play for the Sharks at the start of the middle session. They cashed in with one second remaining on the two-man advantage as Pavelski blasted a one-timer past a stickless Andersen from the top of the left circle.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Perry was back on the ice after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury and recorded three shots in 16:21 of ice time. ... Anaheim RW Tim Jackman also returned to the lineup after missing two contests with a head injury and dropped the gloves with San Jose C Micheal Haley on his first shift. ... Pavelski's power-play goal was his league-leading 10th of the season. ... Thornton's assist moved him within two of tying Nicklas Lidstrom (878) for 21st place on the all-time list and two points of matching Norm Ullman (1,229) for 38th in NHL history. ... Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf had his eight-game point streak snapped.