Sharks fall in shootout; playoff hopes on thin ice

SAN JOSE, Calif. --Linus Karlssonscored in the sixth round of the shootout as theCanucksput theSharkson the brink of playoff elimination with a4-3 winSaturday night.

After each team scored only once in the first five rounds, Karlsson ended the game when he beatYaroslav Askarovto snap Vancouver's four-game losing streak and spoil the final home game of a promising season for San Jose.

After finishing last in the NHL the past two seasons, the Sharks have jumped 30 points in the standings. But they trail theLos Angeles Kingsby five points with three games remaining in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Igor Chernyshovscored his second goal of the game to give the Sharks a 3-2 lead with 7:16 left in regulation, butTeddy Bluegertied it on the power play with 3:00 left.

Marco RossiandJake DeBruskalso scored for the Canucks.Kevin Lankinenmade 28 saves.

Macklin Celebriniassisted on both of Chernyshov's goals to give him 110 points on the season, four shy of the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Joe Thornton in 2006-07.

Tyler Toffolialso scored for San Jose, and Askarov made 38 saves.

The Sharks opened the scoring late in the first when Celebrini won an offensive draw and got the puck to Chernyshov, who went right to the net and beat Lankinen.

The Canucks tied it in the second when Askarov made a bad read on a dump-in that went off the boards to the other side of the net. He tried to knock the net over to block the puck from entering, but Rossi still scored.

The teams traded goals later in the second with Toffoli scoring on the rush for San Jose and DeBrusk answering on the power play.