Sharks Are Not Cursed After All

The San Jose Sharks did their best to prove that they are not hexed.

The hockey equivalent of the Chicago Cubs flexed their muscle and played the way everyone has expected them to play, not only this year but in playoff series past.

Evgeni Nabokov  stopped 28 shots to record his seventh career playoff shutout, Logan Couture  scored twice and the Sharks  beat the Colorado Avalanche  5-0 Thursday to take a 3-2 edge in their series.

Joe Pavelski , Patrick Marleau and Dwight Helminen also scored for the Sharks.

Colorado goalie Craig Anderson stopped 30 on 34 shots before being replaced by Peter Budaj .

Tempers flared as San Jose scored three times in the second period in the biggest offensive outburst by either team in the first round.

Neither team had held a lead of more than one goal until the Sharks took a 2-0 lead.