SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Mikkel Boedker might be playing his best hockey with the Sharks.
“Yeah, I think that’s pretty fair to say,” Boedker said after scoring twice in San Jose’s 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. “I think it’s going well, capitalizing on the chances and paying real well. Our line has been very good and we’re fortunate to get a lot of chances, so we got to keep going.”
Joe Pavelski, Melker Karlsson and Justin Braun also scored and Martin Jones made 26 saves for the Sharks, who won their fourth in five games.
Gemel Smith and Tyler Pitlick scored for Dallas. Ben Bishop was chased after allowing four goals on five shots, and Kari Lehtonen made 22 saves in relief. The Stars had won six of their previous seven games.
“When you look at it, it’s been this way four of the last six games. The goalies have saved us. They didn’t save us tonight,” Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. “When you don’t check, when you don’t want to check, against a good team that’s ready to play, you get burned.”
The Stars beat the Sharks 6-0 on New Year’s Eve and had won three straight against them entering play Sunday.
“We were actually moving this game,” Braun said. “In Dallas, everyone left their legs somewhere else. Everyone was coming above on the backcheck and shutting down their speed. That was huge.”
Pavelski scored 27 seconds into the contest to spark the onslaught. After taking a passfrom Timo Meier, Pavelski backhanded the puck into the net. Karlsson made it 2-0 a little more than five minutes later, taking a rebound off the back boards, he was able to sneak it past Bishop.
Boedker scored when his shot was deflected off the stick of Alexander Radulov and past Bishop. Boedker scored again two minutes later with a shot over Bishop’s left shoulder, ending Bishop’s day with 2:37 remaining in the first period.
“He’s played some solid hockey at stretches but hasn’t got rewarded,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said of Boedker. “I think he’s combining them now, which is what we need, and we need that to continue.”
Braun found a crease through the defense to make it 5-0 five minutes into the second period.
“They scored every chance they got,” Stars Dan Hemhuis said. “Our determination level was not high enough. We have to get our process in order and the results will take care of itself.”
Smith scored midway through the third period after taking a smart pass from Brett Richie and tapping it into an open net.
Pitlick scored on a rebound in front of the net off a shot from John Klineberg.
NOTES: The Sharks recalled F Danny O’Regan with C Tomas Hertl out a second straight game with an injury. … Stars F Martin Hanzal is traveling with the team on their three-game California trip but was scratched from Sunday’s lineup with “general soreness,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. … Stars C Jason Dickinson was optioned to the Texas Stars (AHL). … Pavelski has nine points over his last six games. … Boedker has scored goals in each of his last three games. … Sharks D Marc-Edouard Vlasic has an assist in each of his past four games.
UP NEXT:
Stars: At Anaheim on Wednesday night.
Sharks: At St. Louis on Tuesday night.
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