SAN JOSE, Calif., March 14 (UPI) -- The San Jose Sharks dominated the Chicago Blackhawks, 7-1, Tuesday.
The Sharks and three other teams -- Dallas, Minnesota and Calgary -- are in a heated battle for the Western Conference's bottom four playoff seeds.
Bill Guerin's penalty shot with 13 seconds remaining in regulation completed his eighth career hat trick. Evgeni Nabokov nearly earned another shutout, finishing with 18 saves.
Nabokov entered the game with shutouts in three of his last four matches, and would have made it four of five if not for a late Chicago goal.
Joe Thornton scored a goal and two assists for San Jose, which has earned at least one point in six of its last seven games overall (4-1-2). Mark Bell, Milan Michalek and Mike Grier also scored in the win.
Patrick Lalime allowed seven goals on 35 shots for Chicago, which saw its three-game win streak halted. Martin Lapointe notched the only goal for the Blackhawks.
