Sharks bite Wings for 2-0 edge

Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif.

The defensemen are scoring, the high-scoring forwards are working in the defensive zone, and Antti Niemi played the same way he did when he knocked San Jose out of the playoffs a year ago.

That all added up to another win for the Sharks and a 2-0 series lead against the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference semifinals.

Ian White and Niclas Wallin scored their first goals of the postseason, Niemi made 33 saves and the Sharks put together a complete performance to beat the Red Wings 2-1 on Sunday.

Niemi helped kill off three penalties in the opening half of the first period and came up with countless big saves in the final two periods of perhaps his best playoff game since helping Chicago sweep San Jose in the conference finals a year ago.

“We like him on our side a lot better,” forward Dany Heatley said. “He’s a steady guy. He makes the saves he should make; he’s in position.

“And he makes a lot of saves he shouldn’t make. He changes games for us sometimes.”

White scored on a power play in the first period and Wallin extended the lead early in the third period as the Sharks put together two of their best back-to-back games to jump on top of the Red Wings for the second straight year.

While Detroit could blame a lack of rest for falling into a 3-0 hole to San Jose a year ago following a seven-game first-round series, the Red Wings were well-rested this year after sweeping Phoenix. But that made no difference against a determined Sharks team that has won 10 of 12 games against Detroit.