Anthony Stolarz has 45 saves as Ducks blank Sharks

Anthony Stolarz made a career-high 45 saves for his third career shutout and the Anaheim Ducks beat the San Jose Sharks 4-0 on Monday night.

Alexander Volkov had two goals, Max Comtois had a goal and an assist and Rickard Rakell also scored as the Ducks beat the Sharks handily on their home ice for the second time in less than a week.

Martin Jones finished with 15 saves for the Sharks, who began the night four points out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division and lost for the third time in four games.

San Jose outshot Anaheim 45-19 but was denied time and again by Stolarz, who has spent most of his career as a No. 3 goalie. He got just his seventh NHL victory since he broke into the league in the 2016-17 season.

For the second time in the past week, the Sharks appeared to come out flat against the last-place Ducks, who beat them 5-1 on Tuesday.

Anaheim took the lead just two minutes into the game when Comtois redirected a shot from Derek Grant and found the net for his team-leading 12th goal.

Later in the first, Volkov took a pass from Sam Carrick and scored for a 2-0 lead at 8:12.

The Sharks’ best scoring chance came shortly after that second goal, but Marcus Sorensen hit the crossbar on a breakaway attempt.

Volkov scored his second of the night and sixth of the season at 12:19. Rakell added a score on a wrist shot that beat Martin Jones early in the third.