Pavelski's late goal lifts Sharks over Jets 5-4

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Joe Pavelski did it again.

Pavelski scored with 4.3 seconds left, lifting the San Jose Sharks to a 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders.

San Jose remained undefeated in March with its sixth straight win. It also got a dramatic victory in its previous trip to Winnipeg, topping the Jets 3-2 on Pavelski's short-handed overtime goal on Feb. 5.

"Back-to-back, coming into a tough building, a good team. We found a gutsy win, for sure," the 34-year-old Pavelski said.

Gustav Nyquist had two goals for San Jose (43-19-8), giving him three in his six games since being traded to the Sharks in late February. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Marcus Sorensen also scored, and Aaron Dell made 21 saves.

Sharks coach Pete DeBoer continues to be impressed with Nyquist.

"Smart player," he said. "He fits with our group. Guys like to play with him. He's a puck hound out there and does a good job."

Mathieu Perreault had a goal and an assist for Winnipeg (40-25-4), which dropped to 12-5-2 against the Pacific Division this season. Andrew Copp, Bryan Little, and Kyle Connor also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 31 shots.

"(Four) seconds left in the game, it's terrible," Perreault said. "They played a good game, they're one of the hottest teams in the league right now. But we gave them a good battle, we were in a tie game until (four) seconds left. If any positives out of this one, we know we can compete with teams like that."

Vlasic opened the scoring by burying his own rebound 8:05 into the game. It was his first goal since Nov. 15 and his second of the season.

Winnipeg responded 32 seconds later. Copp got his 10th with a redirect of Ben Chiarot's point shot.

Little gave the Jets their first lead midway through the opening period, but Nyquist responded with his 18th at 16:04.

"We had some good things offensively and in the offensive zone but we were a little slow to our check in the defensive zone," Copp said. "We needed a little more sense of urgency in that end of the ice."

After Connor put Winnipeg in front with a power-play goal for his 27th of the season, Nyquist tied it again midway through the second. Sorenson then got the lead for San Jose early in the third.

Perreault tied the game up yet again with less than four minutes remaining.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Host the Florida Panthers on Thursday in the opener of a three-game homestand.

Jets: Host the Boston Bruins on Thursday.