NHL: San Jose 4, Minnesota 1

ST. PAUL, Minn., March 23 (UPI) -- Joe Pavelski and Dany Heatley notched first-period goals Tuesday, lifting the San Jose Sharks to a 4-1 win over Minnesota.

Torrey Mitchell got a third-period tally and Joe Thornton scored into an empty net while Evgeni Nabokov made 18 saves for the Sharks, who broke a six-game losing streak and moved into first place in the Pacific Division -- one point ahead of the upstart Phoenix Coyotes, who lost to Chicago.

Rob Blake registered three helpers in the Sharks win.

The Wild's only goal came from Guillaume Latendresse. Niklas Backstrom let in three goals on 16 shots in the third defeat in four games for Minnesota.