STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Sharks One Victory Away From the Conference Final

Sergei Makarov had two goals and two assists Tuesday night to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at San Jose. The victory gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinal playoff series.

Linemate Igor Larionov added three assists for the surprising Sharks, who return to Toronto with two chances to finish out the series when it resumes Thursday night. The winner will advance to the Western Conference finals against the Vancouver Canucks.

Makarov, who with Larionov and Johan Garpenlov make up the Sharks’ top-scoring line, hadn’t scored a goal in the series. But the trio was dominating during the first period and accounted for the Sharks’ first four goals.

Makarov, a 35-year-old Russian, has eight playoff goals, tying him for the league lead, while his countryman, Larionov, has 16 points.

Shark goaltender Arturs Irbe, rebounding from a disastrous Game 5 outing, stopped 27 shots. He stopped all eight during the third period to preserve San Jose’s 5-2 lead.

Toronto’s Felix Potvin turned back 22 shots.

After losing Sunday, 8-3, the Sharks got off to a fast start when Makarov capitalized on a Toronto turnover in the neutral zone and skated in on Potvin for a break-away goal. Makarov’s eight-foot wrist shot beat the Toronto goalie to the stick side 1:17 into the game.

Vancouver 4, Dallas 2--Pavel Bure scored two goals at Vancouver to help the Canucks close out the series and advance to the Western Conference finals.

The Canucks won for the seventh time in eight games. They won four of five against the Stars.

Vancouver returned to the conference final for the first time since 1982, when the Canucks eliminated the Chicago Blackhawks in five games.

Nathan La Fayette and Bure scored in the first period, Murray Craven in the second and Bure again in the third as the Canucks outscored Dallas in the series, 18-11.

The sellout crowd cheered wildly when Bure scored on a breakaway with less than four minutes to play for a three-goal lead.

Mike Modano and Dave Gagner, both on power plays, were the only Dallas players to beat Vancouver goaltender Kirk McLean.