Sharks 2, Senators 0

OTTAWA (AP) - Evgeni Nabokov got his first shutout of the season and Patrick Marleau and Nils Ekman scored to help the San Jose Sharks extend their winning streak to five games with a 2-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Nabokov made 40 saves for his 27th career shutout, his first since March 31, 2004 when he set a franchise record with his ninth of the season.

Marleau beat Dominik Hasek on a breakaway in the second and Ekman finished off a 2-on-1 with Joe Thornton in the third, just moments after Nabokov gloved a rolling puck just in front of the goal line to keep San Jose ahead.

The Sharks won a season-high six straight from Dec. 2-16 and had another five-game winning streak from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4.

Ottawa lost for just the fourth time in 21 games at the Corel Centre, which will be renamed Scotiabank Place on Friday. The Senators, who beat Phoenix 6-2 Tuesday, have lost four of their last six games, their worst stretch of the season.

Hasek, who made 34 saves, came up huge in the first period to keep the game scoreless. He made a desperate glove save on Ekman, who jumped on a rebound of Marleau's shot during a long 5-on-3 Sharks power play.

The Czech superstar also benefited from a shot off the post moments later, as did Nabokov on Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson's shot late in the first.

Alfredsson, who had two goals and two assists Tuesday in his return from a rib injury, saw his crossing pass in the Sharks zone intercepted by Marleau.

The San Jose captain raced the length of the ice and beat out Alfredsson's attempt to track him down before putting a backhand past Hasek 8:17 into the second.

Ottawa came close to tying it 1:16 into the third but Nabokov reached out just in time to prevent a rolling puck from crossing the line.

The Sharks made it a two-goal lead shortly afterwards when Thornton came in on a 2-on-1 and passed to Ekman, who redirected the puck past Hasek at 2:45.

Notes: Nabokov shared a shutout on Dec. 2 with rookie Nolan Schaefer, who has the Sharks' other shutout this season. ... The crowd of 19,538 was the Senators' 17th sellout of the season. ... Ottawa C Jason Spezza missed his 10th game in the past 11 because of a chest injury. ... Senators RW Brandon Bochenski returned after missing 11 games with a separated shoulder.