It’s been close to four years since the San Jose Sharks opted not to re-sign Joe Pavelski, and the team’s former captain still isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
Pavelski had a goal and two assists, including one on Fredrik Olofsson’s game-winning goal in the second period as the Dallas Stars beat the Sharks, 5-2, on Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
After a Sharks’ turnover in the neutral zone, Pavelski took a pass from Radek Faksa and fed a streaking Olofsson, who beat Erik Karlsson to the net and tipped the pass past James Reimer for a 3-2 Stars lead at the 10:45 mark of the third period.
Pavelski also had two power-play points in the first period, scoring on a nifty redirection of a Jason Robertson shot as he stood between Matt Benning and Jaycob Megna at the 10:22 mark and assisting on Robertson’s goal 2:12 later.
The Sharks also allowed a backbreaking short-handed goal at the 15:18 mark of the third period, as Roope Hintz scored after a turnover in the neutral zone to give the Stars a 4-2 lead. Esa Lindell added an empty-netter with 1:13 to go.
Pavelski now has seven points in six career games against the Sharks, the team with which he played 963 games over 13 seasons after he was drafted in the seventh round in 2003.
Alexander Barabanov and Oskar Lindblom scored even-strength goals and Reimer made 15 saves through two periods for the Sharks, who have now lost three in a row and six of their last seven games.
The Sharks actually outshot the Stars 16-12 through two periods during 5-on-5 play, but gave up the two power-play goals and went 0 for 3 with the man advantage.
Karlsson assisted on Barabanov’s goal at the 5:13 mark of the first period, as he extended his point streak to a 12 games, tying a franchise record shared by Rob Gaudreau and Jonathan Cheechoo. Gaudreau’s 12-game point streak came in Dec. 1992 and Cheechoo’s lasted from Dec. 2005 to Jan. 2006 season.
Karlsson has two goals and 17 assists in his career-long 12-game streak.
The Sharks (11-20-7) play the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday night.
Pavelski’s last season with the Sharks was 2018-19 when he became a restricted free agent. Pavelski, the Sharks’ captain from 2015 to 2019, wanted a three-year contract as his next deal. San Jose was only willing to extend Pavelski, who was about to turn 35, by two years.
Pavelski then signed a three-year deal with the Stars, and entered Saturday with 197 points in 242 regular-season games, leading Dallas to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Sharks defenseman Radim Simek was injured midway through the first period, as he ran into Mason Marchment near the Stars blue line and fell backward. Simek did not return.
