SHARKS 3, STARS 0: Joe Pavelski scored twice and Antti Niemi made 22 saves as San Jose moved past Dallas for eighth place in the Western Conference with a triumph in the opener of a home-and-home series.

Defenseman Jason Demers added a power-play goal and captain Joe Thornton recorded a pair of assists for the Sharks, who halted a two-game skid and climbed one point ahead of the Stars with their fourth straight home victory.

Pavelski gave Niemi all the offensive support he needed 58 seconds into the contest, converting a pass from along the right-wing boards by Thornton for his 30th goal.

Martin Havlat made a superb saucer pass from the right corner to Demers, who beat Kari Lehtonen from the bottom of the left faceoff circle with 82 seconds remaining in the first period for a 2-0 advantage.

Pavelski completed his fifth two-goal performance of the campaign and second in four games when he tipped Marc-Edouard Vlasic's shot from the blue line past Lehtonen just over 9 1/2 minutes into the second.

Niemi stopped six shots in the first period and eight in each of the final two sessions for his 19th career shutout and sixth this season.

Lehtonen made 31 saves for the Stars, who completed a 1-3-0 road trip.

Dallas fell from third to ninth in the West with a pair of losses in a 24-hour span.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Pavelski has scored seven goals in his last nine games. ... The Sharks improved to 6-0-1 in their last seven meetings with the Stars. ... San Jose had lost seven of eight meetings with Pacific Division rivals. ... The Sharks scored a total of one goal in their previous two contests. ... The teams meet again in Dallas on Tuesday.