SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- With the regular season running out, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are treating their remaining games like the playoffs.

Oleg Tverdovsky scored the game-winner late in the second period Tuesday night in Anaheim's 4-2 victory over San Jose.

	Anaheim goalie Guy Hebert turns back San Jose's Marco Sturm, right.

"We realize this is like a playoff game for us," said Anaheim center Matt Cullen, who also scored. "That was a huge goal for us because we realize the importance of the situation."

The win moved the Mighty Ducks within two points of the Sharks for the final postseason spot in the Western Conference.

Guy Hebert made 23 saves, 12 in the first period, in earning his 21st victory.

"Guy gave us a chance," Anaheim coach Craig Hartsburg said. "In the first period, if he doesn't play as well as he does, then we're down two or three goals. Our team took advantage of great goaltending in the first period."

Marty McInnis and Mike LeClerc also had goals for the Mighty Ducks, who improved to 5-1-2 in eight road games.

Vincent Damphousse and Owen Nolan scored for San Jose, which fell to 0-20-2 when trailing after two periods.

"We're supposed to be playing the best hockey of the season and we're not even close," Nolan said. "We're playing a team trying to catch us and win a playoff spot. We didn't even put up a fight against them."

Anaheim scored twice in the second period to take a 3-2 lead.

Tverdovsky scored a power-play goal to put the Mighty Ducks in front with 1:42 left in the period. He was set up by a nice crossing pass from Kip Miller, who had two assists. Anaheim has scored man-advantage goals in 12 of 14 games.

"We made a few passes down low and all of a sudden their forwards were so low I was by myself," said Tverdovsky. "I was in great position and I got a great pass."

McInnis, on the top line in place of Paul Kariya -- out for the fourth straight game with a bruised right foot -- took a cross-ice pass from Steve Rucchin and scored the tying goal when goalie Steve Shields was out of position.

The Sharks went up 2-1 when Nolan scored a power-play goal 42 seconds into the second. Damphousse's shot was blocked by Hebert, but the puck bounced straight to Nolan, who was wide open on the stick side.

"You look around this room and there are great hockey players here," said San Jose's Jeff Friesen. "There are no holes. So why aren't we playing well? I don't have the answer."

Anaheim took a 1-0 lead with 16:18 remaining in the first period. Ruslan Salei took a slap shot from the high slot, and Cullen, who was setting a screen in front, redirected it past Shields. It was Cullen's 200th NHL game.

San Jose tied it with 1:36 remaining in the period when Damphousse scored on a power play. Damphousse, who went 23 games without scoring a goal, has three in four games and is on a six-game point streak.

LeClerc made it 4-2 on his eighth goal with 8:23 left.