Sharks blank slumping Pens

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Joe Pavelski’s return from a broken foot provided a jolt to the San Jose Sharks and helped deliver a convincing victory over the Stanley Cup champions.

Pavelski had a goal and an assist in his first game back from the injured list, Evgeni Nabokov made 27 saves in his 49th career shutout and the Sharks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins for the seventh straight time at home, 5-0 Saturday night.

“He really didn’t miss a step. It looked like he missed no time at all,” teammate Dany Heatley said. “He should have had two goals, I stole the other one from him. He played real well tonight and we’re happy to have him back.”

Pavelski missed the previous five weeks after breaking his foot while blocking a shot against Anaheim on Oct. 3. He scored San Jose’s second goal and assisted on the fourth.

“There’s a smile on everyone’s face when he is back in the lineup,” coach Todd McLellen said. “He means so much to our team, a very intelligent player. He brings a calmness to the ice.”

The Sharks played back-to-back games against the Stanley Cup finalists, losing a shootout in Detroit on Thursday before dominating champion Pittsburgh. San Jose led 4-0 less than 4 minutes into the second period, outshooting a Pittsburgh team missing star center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Sergei Gonchar 17-3 at one point.

Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby was held pointless for a fourth straight game for the fourth time in his career. He hit the post with a shot early in the second but was unable to convert against Nabokov and the Sharks.

“We just weren’t ready to play the type of game that they came ready to play,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said.

Heatley, Dan Boyle, Jamie McGinn and Manny Malhotra also scored for San Jose, which has eight wins and a tie at home against Pittsburgh since last losing to the Penguins at the Shark Tank 5-2 on Oct. 22, 1997, when Crosby was only 10 years old.

The Penguins had tied a team record with seven straight road wins before losing 5-2 to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. They followed that up with the loss in San Jose, marking the first time in 42 regular-season games under Bylsma that Pittsburgh has gone consecutive games without a point.

“We were lackluster at points,” forward Matt Cooke said. “Everybody goes out on the ice with the intention of winning a hockey game. Sure, we have injuries and it’s there as an excuse if you want to take it. But if we want to win hockey games we have to face adversity and find a way to win 1-0 if we have to. You have to adjust, work harder and work smarter.”

San Jose knocked Marc-Andre Fleury out 1:41 into the second period.