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Ducks capture Pacific Division title

Matt Beleskey

Anaheim Ducks’ Matt Beleskey celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The Associated Press

The Anaheim Ducks are back in the top spot of the Western Conference standings. They’re also Pacific Division champions.

The Ducks, thanks to three unanswered goals, clinched the division with a 5-2 win over the visiting San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. The Ducks are also now one point up on the St. Louis Blues for the lead in the West, and two points back of the idle Boston Bruins for the Presidents’ Trophy.

This one was close throughout the first half of the game, with the Sharks evening the score at two goals apiece on a beauty from Logan Couture (click here to see the video), but the Ducks pulled ahead in the second period.

Patrick Maroon scored his second of the evening for the Ducks, giving them a 3-2 lead and chasing Antti Niemi from the game. But Matt Beleskey essentially put this one away with just over three minutes remaining in the second period, thanks to a sweet little toe drag around Sharks’ defender Brent Burns.

While the Sharks will still compete in the playoffs, Wednesday’s loss came with further bad news.

As per David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News, Sharks’ veteran center Joe Thornton left the game in pain in the third period.

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