~ Photo credit: sjsharks.com

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ San Jose Sharks’ Mikkel Boeder’s goals included the apt game-winner as San Jose overpowered the Anaheim Ducks, 6-2 Sunday.

Boedker’s tallies, career #100 and #101, were a season-high two goals and his first multi-point game since November 1st. He now has four goals in five games.

The further the game went on, the more the Sharks scored, scoring once, twice and three times in each period respectively. San Jose started and ended the game with three straight goals. It was their biggest margin of victory since December 9.

For the Ducks, it was their biggest loss since November 27, also when they last gave up at least six goals.

Sharks’ netminder Aaron Dell, in net for consecutive nights for the first time because of starter Martin Jones’ injury, was fine with now a four-game win streak, as he made 33 saves. The 35 shots faced was the most in his last four games as he earned the first star of the game.  

Anaheim is now behind Los Angeles and Calgary in the standings.

For San Jose, Boedker had two goals and an assist, Melker Karlsson, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Thornton had a goal and assist apiece, Kevin Labanc had a goal and Tierney had two assists.

Rickard Rakell and Getzlaf had a goal and assist and a game-high four shots apiece for the Ducks.

Vlasic, Labanc and Boedker all scored within a period’s worth of time.

The opening goal came after a save by Dell and a kick by Timo Meier to clear the puck. Vlasic brought the puck into the zone, passed the puck to Hertl and then received the puck back before he scored at 13:53. It was Vlasic’s second goal in three games.

Labanc then scored for the first time since December 21 at 3:38.

Boedker’s goal came after more good work in the other end. Meier screened Gibson and Boedker scored on the opposite side of the way Gibson was leaning in order to see around Meier. The goal came with four seconds left in the slashing penalty to Brandon Montour.

Rakell then had a power play goal at 19:33. His previous game he came up empty off six shots on net.

Getzlaf followed to bring the game to within one at 1:47 of the third.

Thornton scored though a minute later with another power play goal for the Sharks, as he got back on the scoring train, not finding the net last game. The centerman has five goals in his last six.

Boedker scored his second at 9:49 and netminder John Gibson was pulled after 52:08 of ice time.

 It was the end of a three-game win streak for Gibson, who gave up five goals for the first time since October 26. He was replaced by Ryan Miller.

Karlsson scored San Jose’s sixth goal at 15:06.  

Game notes: Vlasic had a game-high eight blocked shots. Anaheim’s Nick Ritchie had a game-high nine hits. San Jose is now 2-0 with Make-A-Wish kid Hayden Bradley on the team.

Up next: The Sharks kick off a two-game homestand Tuesday at 7:30 pm PT versus the Winnipeg Jets.