Marleau leads Sharks past Canucks 3-2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Down 2-0 early, the San Jose Sharks showed no panic.

Patrick Marleau scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and the Sharks won their third straight, beating the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Thursday night.

''We know we can do it,'' Marleau said. ''We play a certain way. We know we are going to get our chances. It's just a matter of burying those chances and sticking with it.''

Brent Burns and Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist each for the Sharks, who rebounded from the two-goal deficit to remain third in the Pacific Division. Martin Jones made 28 saves for San Jose.

''This group, they're a mature group and they know when they're not playing the right way or up to par,'' Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. ''They recognize it and quickly fix it. And I think that was the case tonight.''

Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi scored for the Canucks, who have lost three straight and fell 10 points behind Minnesota and Colorado for the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Ryan Miller stopped 27 shots.

''We played hard for 40 minutes,'' Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said. ''I don't think we didn't play hard in the third. It's just that they scored on the power play. You make a mistake, they come down on the 2-on-1, and they score again. That's the story.''

It was the first of a home-and-home series between the teams, who met Sunday with the Sharks winning 4-1 at Rogers Arena. They play again on Saturday in San Jose and then twice more before the end of the month.

Marleau scored at 14:31 of the third as Sharks winger Joonas Donskoi skated up the boards before passing the puck to Marleau for the smooth one-timer.

The Canucks came out with energy in the first period and were rewarded at 7:14 when Virtanen whipped a shot at Jones, then grabbed his own rebound and skated around the net before banking it in off Joe Pavelski's skate.

Vancouver made it 2-0 late in the first. With the Canucks buzzing in the Sharks zone, Dan Hamhuis fired a puck through traffic that Baertschi deflected in. Virtanen also assisted on the play as Vancouver finished the opening period with a 15-7 lead in shots.

The Sharks scored midway through the period when Burns' shot from the blue line was tipped in by Hertl. The goal was reviewed because it looked as though Hertl's stick was high, but the call stood.

''I am really disappointed in that call,'' Miller said. ''Rising shot and I just watched the replay and I think it's a high stick for sure - 100 percent high stick. I don't know what the league is looking at. Just because it's a goal on the ice, get it right or just get rid of the rule. It's wishy-washy.

''Two-goal lead looks a lot better to us and it might have made a difference.''

Daniel Sedin was called for high-sticking late in the second and the Sharks made Vancouver pay early in the third. Running point on the power play, Burns blasted the puck through the slot and beat Miller to tie it 2 just 43 seconds into the period.

NOTES: The Canucks were without injured wingers Jannik Hansen (rib) and Radim Vrbata (lower body). ... Rookie Brendan Gaunce had three shots on goal while playing for Vancouver for the first time since being called up from the AHL.