SAN JOSE, Calif. - Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski scored power-play goals in the second period and the San Jose Sharks again moved to the brink of eliminating the Los Angeles Kings from the playoffs with a 3-2 victory Wednesday night in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Patrick Marleau added a power-play goal in the third period and Martin Jones made 26 saves against his former team to put San Jose up 3-1 in the series heading into Game 5 on Friday night in Los Angeles.

But knocking the Kings out is never easy. The Sharks blew a 3-0 series lead to Los Angeles in the first round two years ago, becoming the fourth NHL team ever to lose a best-of-seven series after winning the first three games.

Trevor Lewis and Luke Schenn scored and Jonathan Quick made 26 saves for the Kings.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter described the first three games as a ''power-play series'' and was proved prophetic with the way Game 4 went. The Sharks converted on their first two chances with the man advantage and stopped Los Angeles to take control of the game.

The bearded Burns got it started after Jeff Carter got sent to the box for roughing Marc-Edouard Vlasic after the whistle in a scrum near San Jose's net. Joel Ward froze quick before sending a cross-ice pass to Burns, who launched a one-timer that beat Quick before he could slide across the crease for his second goal of the series.

Then, after the Sharks killed two penalties, they struck again when Rob Scuderi was called for tripping Tomas Hertl. Joe Thornton got the puck behind the net and put a centering pass right on Pavelski's tape for the goal. Pavelski has four goals in the series.

Marleau added his first goal of the series just seconds into another power-play chance when he gathered in Logan Couture's blocked shot and beat Quick with a backhander to make it 3-0.

Los Angeles got back in the game with two goals in less than five minutes thanks to point shots from Schenn. The first was deflected by Lewis for a goal and the second went through a screen to beat Jones.

But the Kings couldn't get anything else by Jones and now must win three straight to win the series.

The game got off to a fast start as the teams went end to end in a first period that was played entirely at even strength. Both teams had good chances, with the Kings getting the better of the play in the opening half of the period and the Sharks answering after that.

But Drew Doughty made a diving stop in the crease to rob Thornton and Quick stymied Marleau on a 2-on-1 to keep San Jose off the board.

Anze Kopitar handcuffed Jones with a tricky shot just after that, but Jones managed to cover up the loose puck in the crease before a big scramble. The Kings then didn't get another shot on goal in the final 6:56 of the period.

NOTES: Pavelski has 30 career playoff goals. ... The win by the Sharks was the first by a home team this series. ... Both teams kept the same lineup as in Game 3.

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It is now win or go home for the Minnesota Wild.

The club dropped Game 4 against the Dallas Stars Wednesday night and now trail the series three games to one. But while the odds are clearly in the Stars' favor, defenseman Ryan Suter feels the team can benefit from their position.

"We're best when our backs are against the wall," said Suter, while also noting the team must be more disiplined. "We have to come out with that same intensity, urgency and stay out of the box."

Head coach John Torchetti also remained positive postgame, suggesting he is excited for the challenge going forward.

"I'm looking forward to see who will step up," said Torchetti. "As a coach, you want to see who has that character."

The beginning of do-or-die hockey for the Wild begins Friday when the series heads back to Dallas for Game 5.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - Jason Spezza scored the go-ahead goal with his skate, Ales Hemsky and Patrick Eaves each scored on a second-period power play to give Dallas' lagging special teams a lift, and the Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Wednesday night to push their series lead to 3-1.

Antti Niemi assumed the net from Kari Lehtonen, who started the first three games, and made 28 saves for the Stars. They'll host Game 5 in Dallas on Friday.

Jason Pominville and Charlie Coyle both gave the Wild the lead with second-period goals, but they weren't able to sustain the momentum from a spirited comeback in Game 3 for the entire night.

The Wild finished the game with a 6-on-4 after a high-stick penalty on Antoine Roussel with goalie Devan Dubnyk pulled, but the Stars tightened up and allowed only one shot on target over the 84-second two-man advantage.

By the time the first period was half-finished, the Stars had cast aside their sluggishness from the previous contest that saw them manage only 17 shots on net. After a scoreless but fast-paced first period, the floodgates opened on both sides in the five-goal middle frame.

Pominville, playing on that thriving third line with Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter, scored his third goal of the series by crashing the crease and knocking in Niederreiter's fluttering rebound shot off his shin.

Then the Wild got a little sloppy, and the Stars seized the opportunity. With Colton Sceviour screening Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, Hemsky's slap shot evened the game with 6 seconds left on the first Dallas power play.

Related: Watch: Stars' Hemsky turns back the clock with 1st playoff goal in 10 years

Coyle answered 63 seconds later with the most skillful goals of the series, fighting through a would-be hooking penalty on Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski as he nudged the puck forward, snagged it in the air and set it back down to set up a right-left deke on Niemi and backhand it in the corner.

Related: Watch: Wild's Coyle flashes incredible hand-eye coordination on goal

Niederreiter took a slashing penalty a few minutes later, though, and Eaves followed with a redirection that eluded Dubnyk. Finally, with 69 seconds remaining before the second intermission, Jason Demers launched a shot that ricocheted perfectly off the front of Spezza's left foot for a 3-2 lead.

The Stars have a dangerous power play that finished fourth in the NHL during the regular season at 22.1 percent, but the Wild killed 12 of 13 penalties over the first three games.

After acquiring Niemi in a trade with San Jose last summer to pair him with Lehtonen, the Stars carefully rotated the 32-year-olds throughout the season, with each goalie getting exactly 25 wins. Lehtonen posted a shutout in Game 1, but he wasn't as sharp in Game 3, making the transition a natural one for coach Lindy Ruff.

NOTES: Of the Wild LWs with upper-body injuries, Thomas Vanek is closer to returning than Zach Parise, whose status coach John Torchetti labeled ''week to week.'' Said Vanek: ''I really ramped it up the last few days here, and I feel good, but again, I just need time, and there's not a whole lot of it right now. I'll just keep pushing it and see where it goes.'' ... Niemi raised his career postseason record to 36-26. ... Stars D Kris Russell returned to the lineup after missing the last game with an illness. ... Haula has 10 goals and 14 assists in 30 games including the playoffs under Torchetti, who replaced Mike Yeo in mid-February.

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Ales Hemsky is one of the few current NHLers who can recall playoff hockey with the Edmonton Oilers.

On Wednesday, the Dallas Stars forward fired home his first playoff goal since Game 5 of the Oilers Cinderella run in the playoffs of 2006.

The goal gives Hemsky three points in four games this playoff season.

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Charlie Coyle's impeccable hand-eye coordination helped the Minnesota Wild's efforts against Dallas in Game 4 on Wednesday.

As the forward broke into the Stars' zone, he somehow managed to control the puck by chipping it to himself and knocking it out of the air - before sliding it past Antti Niemi for his first goal of the postseason.

The beautiful hockey hug capped the play perfectly.

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NEW YORK - Alex Petrovic scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period and the Florida Panthers beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Wednesday night to even their first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

Teddy Purcell also scored for Florida and Jaromir Jagr had an assist for his 200th career playoff point. Roberto Luongo stopped 26 shots.

John Tavares had his third goal of the series for New York, and Thomas Greiss finished with 27 saves.

The Panthers got their first playoff road win since April 17, 2012, against New Jersey in Game 3 of the first round.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Sunrise, Florida.

On the go-ahead goal, Petrovic got the puck up high near the middle, slowly skated to the right and fired a shot into the top left corner past Greiss to put the Panthers ahead 2-1 at 9:25 of the third.

The Panthers nearly scored with 9:15 left in the second when Jonathan Huberdeau had a breakaway and his shot was stopped by Greiss. Huberdeau slid into Greiss and the puck was knocked loose and went over the line. No goal was called on the ice and the play was reviewed and the call was upheld. Panthers coach Gerard Gallant was upset over the non-goal and used his challenge. After a lengthy review, the non-goal call was upheld again, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Related: Panthers' Huberdeau disallowed 1st playoff goal after sliding into net

About 90 seconds after play resumed, the Islanders' Josh Bailey jammed a puck out of Luongo's pads and across the line, but the officials waved it off because the whistle had blown.

The Panthers finally got on the scoreboard first late in the second period. About a minute after the Islanders' Matt Martin was sent off for tripping Nick Bjugstad, Greiss slid to the left to knock away Jagr's tip attempt. However Jagr got the puck behind the net, skated around and fed Purcell, who fired it in as Greiss was getting back in position. The assist, Jagr's 200th career postseason point, was his 122nd in the playoffs, breaking a tie with Al MacInnis and Glenn Anderson for sole possession of ninth place on the NHL list.

Related: Jagr becomes 5th player with 200 career playoff points

Penalties to Aleksander Barkov and Dmitry Kulikov gave the Islanders a 5-on-3 for 39 seconds in the final minute of the second. New York took advantage as Pulock passed to Tavares on the right side and the captain skated in and wristed a shot past Luongo to tie it with 16 seconds remaining - just after the first penalty expired.

The Panthers had a 10-5 advantage on shots in a tightly played first period. Florida had a power play just 2:04 in as Casey Cizikas was whistled for tripping Brian Campbell. Nick Bjugstad had their lone shot during the man advantage, but his snap shot was stopped by Greiss.

The Islanders got one shot on goal in their lone power play about six minutes in as Okposo's shot fluttered in the air and deflected up off Luongo's mask.

Greiss stopped Bjugstad's backhand from the left side about 8 minutes in, and also made a nice stop on Reilly Smith's wrist shot from in close with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the first.

NOTES: Panthers C Vincent Trochek and D Steven Kampfer have not played in the series while recovering from lower-body injuries, though Gallant again said earlier Wednesday they were close. ... Florida used 11 forwards and 10 defensemen, with Jakub Kindl replacing C Greg McKegg ... Jagr, who has not scored a goal in 35 consecutive playoff games, played in his 206th postseason game - breaking a tie with former Devils goalie Martin Brodeur for 17th place in NHL history. ... Tavares, who also has four assists in the series, now has 10 goals and 11 assists in his last 14 games. He also has scored a goal in seven of his last eight games, including the regular season. ... The Islanders fell to 11-4-3 at home since the All-Star break.

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