Heatley’s NHL-leading 18th goal lifts Sharks to 3-2 win over Ducks

Thornton’s goal gives 3-2 Sharks win over Ducks

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Dany Heatley scored his NHL-leading 18th goal and set up Joe Thornton’s go-ahead tally pin the third period, leading the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night.

Ryane Clowe also scored for the Sharks, and Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves to send Anaheim to its 11th loss in 15 games.

The Sharks and Ducks are at opposite ends of the Western Conference standings, separated by 19 points. Last season, San Jose had the most points in the NHL but lost to the Ducks in the first round of the playoffs.

Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski, who sat out the final 2½ periods of Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win against Tampa Bay because of a bruised right foot, scored his first of the season during a power play.

Corey Perry earned an assist on Wisniewski’s goal to extend his career-best point streak to 14 games, the NHL’s longest active run. Ryan Whitney added a power-play goal, and Jonas Hiller made 33 saves.

The Ducks had a chance to break the 2-2 tie while they were short-handed. Todd Marchant took off on a breakaway, and Nabokov came out to attempt a poke-check. He missed, but Marchant’s backhander was just wide of the right post.

The Sharks did take the lead 6 seconds after Teemu Selanne’s penalty expired. Thornton got a pass from Heatley and beat Hiller from the middle of the left circle with 11:11 remaining for his seventh goal.

Heatley, who got his second hat trick of the season in Friday’s win over Philadelphia, put the Sharks ahead 2-1 at 10:54 of the second. He converted a rebound for his seventh goal in six games, a power-play tally.

The Ducks tied it with 14 seconds left in the middle period, cashing in with 9 seconds remaining on a 5-on-3 advantage. Whitney scored on a one-timer from the left circle after Ryan Getzlaf won a faceoff.

Wisniewski gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead when his shot from just inside the blue line slid under Nabokov’s outstretched right leg 1:20 into the second.

Clowe tied it at 8:08 of the second with a shot that beat Hiller through a screen.

NOTES: Left wing Saku Koivu returned to the Anaheim lineup after missing five games with a groin strain. D Steve Eminger came back after sitting out one game because of back spasms. … Heatley and Patrick Marleau have combined for 32 goals through the Sharks’ first 25 games, making them the NHL’s best one-two punch to this point. Last season, the highest-scoring tandem was Washington’s Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin (90 goals). … Twenty of San Jose’s 25 power play goals have come on the road. … The Sharks have won four straight regular-season games in Anaheim. They have won at least one road game against the Ducks in all 16 seasons Anaheim has been in the league.