Sharks stay undefeated

SAN JOSE — Michal Handzus scored the lone goal in a shootout on the first attempt to give the unbeaten San Jose Sharks a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

Logan Couture scored for San Jose with less than three minutes left in the third period to tie the game at 2-2. He ripped a shot that appeared to deflect off the skates of Bryan Allen and trickled past Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller, who otherwise had an outstanding game.

The Sharks improved to 6-0-0, matching the Chicago Blackhawks for the best record in the NHL.

Francois Beauchemin and Matt Beleskey scored within a minute of each other midway through the second period to put the Ducks ahead. Hiller stopped 16 shots.

Joe Pavelski scored the first goal for the Sharks, limited to two power-play opportunities. Antti Niemi had 28 saves and San Jose hung on when Teemu Selanne hit the post on Anaheim’s final shootout try.

Anaheim’s constant pressure and ability to stay out of the penalty box made things tough on the Sharks.

Pavelski scored for the third time in two games when he fired one past Hiller midway through the first period. Joe Thornton gave Pavelski a nice pass just to the right of the net.

Beleskey took a shot from the side that bounced off Niemi’s pads and into the net to tie it. Less than a minute later, Beauchemin beat Niemi with a shot over his left shoulder.

Notes: Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle sat out with the flu. … Ducks forward Emerson Etem made his NHL debut in the first period. … Thornton has 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 58 games against the Ducks. … The Ducks are 0-for-12 on the power play since converting all three chances in their first game. … On the first goal of the game, Sharks forward Patrick Marleau, Thornton and Pavelski all extended their point streak to six games. … The Sharks lost their previous three games at home against the Ducks. … The Ducks outshot the Sharks 13-4 in the first period. … Sharks center Scott Gomez got his first point for San Jose with an assist on Couture’s goal.