Marleau sparks Sharks to 4-2 win

ST. LOUIS -- Patrick Marleau scored his 38th goal to remain tied for the NHL lead, helping the Western Division-leading San Jose Sharks beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Thursday night.

Ryane Clowe and Devin Setoguchi also scored, and backup Thomas Greiss had a strong game in goal for the Sharks, who rebounded from their lone regulation loss in the last 11 games after squandering a two-goal lead against Detroit two days earlier. San Jose has 83 points, one behind Washington for first overall in the NHL.

Patrik Berglund had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who are an NHL-worst 9-15-5 at home while getting outscored 90-71. Backup goalie Ty Conklin, who made 27 saves, fell to 0-6 at the Scottrade Center.

Conklin is 1-6 at home overall, including a victory over the Red Wings in a season-opening series in Sweden, and 7-2-1 with a 1.70 goals-against average on the road. He got the start a day after Chris Mason helped the Blues win 3-2 in Chicago.

Marleau's goal total beats the point total of Blues top scorers Brad Boyes and Paul Kariya, tied at 35 points apiece, and is tied with Washington's Alex Ovechkin for the NHL lead. Marleau gave the Sharks the lead after only 21 seconds off a feed from Joe Thornton, who collected the rebound of a backhand shot by Dany Heatley.

Clowe capitalized on a big rebound for his 14th goal at 7:53 of the first, putting the Sharks up by two. Berglund answered with a power-play goal midway through the period, but Setoguchi slipped the puck under a diving Conklin on a power play late in the second to make it 3-1.

Alex Steen cut the gap to one goal with a shot that deflected off the skate of Sharks defenseman Jay Leach at 8:39 of the third. Scott Nichol's third goal with 4:48 to go gave the Sharks their third two-goal cushion.