Sharks Eliminate Coyotes

Evgeni Nabokov had 22 saves and Patrick Marleau had a goal and an assist as the San Jose Sharks’ best season in franchise history kept getting better with a 4-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, Friday night at San Jose.

San Jose won the best-of-seven series, 4-1, to advance to the Western Conference semifinals with Nabokov holding the Coyotes to one goal in each of the final three games.

He finished this playoff series with a .947 save percentage.

Adam Graves, Vincent Damphousse and Marco Sturm also scored for the Sharks.

After recording 99 points and their first division title during the regular season, the Sharks are in the second round of the playoffs for the fourth time in 11 seasons of existence, but for the first time, the Sharks have the veteran talent and the goaltending to entertain hopes of advancing even further.

Marleau, the Sharks’ 22-year-old center who came alive in the final weeks of the regular season, scored a point in all five of San Jose’s playoff games against Phoenix. In the second period, he broke a scoreless tie with a fine rebound goal, then started a sequence that ended in Graves’ goal.

Coyote goalie Sean Burke wasn’t as sharp as he had been early in the series, stopping only 15 shots. Phoenix’s only goal came on Mike Johnson’s penalty shot after Nabokov threw his stick to stop a scoring chance.

Though the Coyotes defied every expectation by even making the playoffs, they were knocked out in the first round for the 10th consecutive time since 1987, when they were still the Winnipeg Jets. Phoenix scored only seven goals in the series.

Toronto 6, New York Islanders 3--Former Islander Bryan McCabe scored twice at Toronto to help the Maple Leafs take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven series. Jonas Hoglund had two goals and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who could end the series with a win in Long Island, N.Y., Sunday.

Toronto won despite missing captain Mats Sundin, who is out indefinitely with a broken bone in his left wrist.

The Islanders lost captain Mike Peca and defenseman Kenny Jonsson to injuries. Jonsson left in the first period with a concussion and neck strain after being checked into the boards by Gary Roberts.

Early in the second, Peca left with a knee sprain after a low hit by Darcy Tucker. He did not return.

Toronto fans cheered the American national anthem in response to New York fans booing the Canadian anthem before Games 3 and 4.

Ottawa 2, Philadelphia 1--Martin Havlat’s goal 7:33 into overtime at Philadelphia sent the Senators to the second round of the playoffs for the second time in the franchise’s 10-year history. Ottawa won the best-of-seven series, 4-1.

The Flyers, shut out in their previous three games, finally scored on a power-play goal by Dan McGillis 3:53 into the game. McGillis one-timed a pass from Eric Desjardins past Patrick Lalime for Philadelphia’s first goal since Ruslan Fedotenko scored in overtime of Game 1.