A year after pointless playoffs, Marleau, Pavelski help lead Sharks to first round sweep

San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski (8) celebrates his goal with teammate Patrick Marleau (12) during the third period of Game 4 of their first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2013. San Jose won 4-3 in overtime. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (The Associated Press)

San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau center, is mobbed by teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Vancouver Canucks during overtime of Game 4 of their first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, May 7, 2013. San Jose won 4-3 in overtime. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (The Associated Press)

SAN JOSE, Calif. – A year after being among the main perpetrators of another playoff failure in San Jose, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski are leading the Sharks back to the second round.

Marleau scored the series clincher in overtime against Vancouver on Tuesday night, giving him one goal in all four games of the sweep over the Canucks.

Marleau got that overtime chance only because Pavelski scored the game-tying goal on the power play with 4:27 to go. That gave Pavelski his second straight two-goal game in the series.

It's a far cry from a year ago when both players failed to record even a single point in a five-game, first-round loss to St. Louis that ended a run of two straight trips to the Western Conference finals.