SAN JOSE, Calif. – Petr Mrazek made 35 saves, Justin Abdelkader scored with 6:52 remaining and the Detroit Red Wings beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Thursday night for their third straight win.
Danny DeKeyser also scored and Detroit remained perfect midway through a six-game trip. Mrazek has started each of those three games and allowed four goals in that time.
Joel Ward scored for San Jose, but the Sharks lost their third in four games and fell to a league-worst 5-12 at home. Martin Jones had 23 saves.
Abdelkader's go-ahead goal was set up by a coast-to-coast skate from Pavel Datsyuk and a juicy bounce. After Datsyuk got the puck in deep, he whipped it toward the net, and the rebound skipped out into the slot. Abdelkader got it there and fired past Jones for his 13th goal this season.
The Sharks had converted 10 of their past 28 power-play opportunities but failed to convert on three power plays against the Red Wings.
DeKeyser beat the Sharks defense down the ice on a counter midway through the first period and took a pass from Henrik Zetterberg. He then beat Jones to the upper-right corner for his first goal in 14 games and his first point in eight games.
The Sharks tied it less than 2 minutes later on Ward's redirect of Brent Burns' shot. Logan Couture set the goal in motion, winning a faceoff and getting the puck to Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who passed to Burns at the top of the zone.
The Sharks had several chances in the final 10 minutes of the contest but the Red Wings were able to fend them off before taking the lead.
NOTES: F Tomas Jurco returned to the Red Wings lineup after missing the past two games. ... The Sharks recalled G Alex Stalock from a conditioning assignment and sent G Troy Groserick to the AHL. ... Detroit All-Star Dylan Larkin had an assist and has points in four straight. ... The Sharks host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. ... The Red Wings play at the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.
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