Instant Replay: Stalock, Sharks lose duel with Niemi, Stars

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DALLAS – Antoine Roussel broke a third period tie and former Sharks goalie Antti Niemi made 26 saves as the Stars skated past the Sharks on Saturday afternoon at American Airlines Center, 5-3.

The game was knotted at 3-3 after two periods, but Roussel’s goal at 13:33 of the final frame put Dallas ahead to stay. John Klingberg blasted a slap shot that Alex Stalock kicked with his right pad, but the puck deflected in off of a charging Roussel helping the Western Conference-leading Stars to their eighth win in the last nine games (8-1-0).

Tyler Seguin’s empty net power play goal with 1:23 remaining capped the scoring. Roussel and Vern Fiddler each had one goal and two assists to pace Dallas.

After busting out of the gates with four straight wins, the Sharks have now lost five of their last six in regulation to even their record at 5-5-0.

The Sharks fought back from a pair of second period deficits to tie it at 3-3 after 40 minutes.

Trailing 2-0, San Jose got the board courtesy of a Joe Pavelski power play goal. The Sharks captain perfectly angled his stick to direct a Brent Burns feed between his legs and past Niemi at 8:23, a little more than a minute after a Jason Demers’ shorthanded goal had given the Stars a two-goal cushion.

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That ended an 0-for-17 streak for San Jose, which had gone six straight games without a power play goal.

The Sharks tied it midway through the second period, when Tommy Wingels fed Matt Nieto on a two-on-one shorthanded rush, and Nieto whipped in his first non-empty net goal of the season and second overall to make it 2-2.

Dallas briefly regained a 3-2 advantage when Burns fell down behind the net, Fiddler skated around him and roofed it over Stalock, who went into a crouch far too early at the 15-minute mark. Again, the Sharks responded on Joel Ward’s jamming home the rebound of a Patrick Marleau redirection at 17:57.

It didn’t take long for the high-powered Stars offense to crack the scoreboard. Patrick Sharp finished off an offensive rush at 2:33 of the first period, flinging in a Demers rebound. Demers got on the board against his former club at 7:09 of the second, getting position on Marleau and angling in an Roussel dish.

In goal, Niemi was facing the Sharks for the first time since San Jose traded his rights to Dallas on June 27.

The Sharks and Stars meet twice more, both at SAP Center – Jan. 16 and March 26.

Special teams:
The Sharks scored multiple power play goals for the first time since their season opener in Los Angeles, going 2-for-4.

Demers’ second period goal was the first shorthanded goal the Sharks allowed, while Nieto’s marker later in the middle frame was the first they’ve scored.

The Sharks killed off four of five Stars advantages, winning the special teams battle for the first time in seven games.

In goal:
Stalock was making his second start of the season, and is 0-2-0 after allowing four goals on 24 shots.

Niemi, who spent the previous five seasons in San Jose, saw his first career regular season action against the Sharks. All of his prior games against San Jose were in the playoffs while he was with Chicago in 2010.

Lineup:
The Sharks recalled forward Bryan Lerg and defenseman Dylan DeMelo from the Barracuda on Friday, but both were healthy scratches.

Up next:
The Sharks wrap up their brief weekend excursion on Sunday afternoon in Colorado (Noon, PT). According to Elias, it will mark the first time the Sharks have played back-to-back afternoon games since Feb. 17-18, 2008 when they played the Rangers and Islanders on the road.

A four-game homestand opens with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

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