Cheechoo brings Sharks up from behind

Jonathan Cheechoo has taken a beating in the playoffs, yet he’s still coming through when the San Jose Sharks need it most.

Cheechoo scored a power-play goal with 6:21 to play and the Sharks came from behind for a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night in Game 3 of their second-round series in San Jose, Calif.

Evgeni Nabokov made 29 saves in another standout effort for the Sharks, who took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series with yet another tight, well-played game between tested playoff foes. Ryane Clowe scored the tying goal and added an assist, while Joe Thornton played another dominant game.

But the winner went to Cheechoo, who was injured by a knee-on-knee hit in San Jose’s first playoff game against Nashville. He hadn’t scored a goal in the postseason until finding the net early in Game 2 against Detroit.

He’s playing through pain on every shift – but last season’s NHL goal-scoring champion still has his touch.

After Thornton’s relentless pressure forced a Detroit penalty, the Sharks finally got a break when Kyle McLaren’s slap shot rebounded directly to Cheechoo, who held the puck before he flipped it past a sprawled Dominik Hasek.

Captain Nicklas Lidstrom scored a power-play goal and Hasek stopped 25 shots for the top-seeded Red Wings, who controlled the first 30 minutes at the hostile Shark Tank after splitting the series’ first two games at home.

Game 4 is Wednesday night, with Game 5 back in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena on Saturday.

Senators 2, Devils 0: At Ottawa, Ray Emery stopped 25 shots for his second playoff shutout and Tom Preissing scored 4:46 into the third period, leading Ottawa over New Jersey in Game 3 of their playoff series.

Emery, who clinched Ottawa’s first round win with a shutout over Pittsburgh, outdueled Martin Brodeur as the Senators took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

Preissing beat Brodeur with a high shot from a tight angle in front of the right boards for the game’s first goal. Jason Spezza scored into an empty net at 19:04.

Brodeur made 32 saves.

The Senators ended five-game point streaks by both Brian Gionta, who had also scored in five straight games, and playoffs scoring leader Scott Gomez.

The Senators actually put the puck in the net twice in the first period, though play had already been whistled down in both cases.

Game 4 is Wednesday in Ottawa.