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NEW YORK -- A goal that didnt count in the Sharks victory over the New York Rangers garnered more attention than the one that made the difference in surging San Joses latest win. Antti Niemi stopped 41 shots for his fourth shutout, and Logan Coutures first-period, short-handed goal stood up as the Sharks beat the Rangers 1-0 Sunday for their sixth straight win. New York thought it had the game tied with 3:15 left in the second period. During a stoppage, all four officials gathered at the scorers table, and a lengthy video review was conducted in Toronto to see if Carl Hagelins stuff attempt at the left post nudged the puck over the line. Numerous replays failed to show the puck behind Niemi, who blocked the view, but one zoomed-in and enhanced picture appeared to show the puck disappear behind the post -- drawing a huge cheer from the crowd. Those yells turned to boos when it was announced there was no conclusive evidence of a goal. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault called over referee Dan OHalloran for an explanation he didnt really seem to accept. "It doesnt matter what I think. I dont make the decisions," Vigneault said in a quiet tone. "This is not me saying this, but some of my friends say that they make it up as they go along. Im just going to leave it at that. "The replay that I saw, you cant see the puck. Maybe I can assume that if you cant see the puck it is under the goaltenders pad and in the goal. It has to be conclusive and I guess they felt it wasnt, so there is nothing you can do about it." Niemi and the Sharks defence were the difference, unlike in the first meeting between the teams, won 9-2 by San Jose on Oct. 8. Niemi, who has 27 career NHL shutouts, was particularly strong during a Rangers power play early in the third. San Jose, tied with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division, is 11-2-1 in its past 14. In a 12-game stretch against Eastern Conference opponents that ends Tuesday at home versus Florida, the Sharks are 9-1-1. "Nemo was unbelievable," Sharks captain Joe Thornton said. "That was maybe his best game all year. He stole this one for us." Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves but was denied in his first attempt to set the Rangers record with his 302nd victory. He equaled Mike Richters mark Friday at Winnipeg, but couldnt hide his disappointment in this loss. "This loss is so painful in so many ways," he said. "We had so many open nets, so many chances to get back in this game but we just couldnt get it in. Then you look at their goal, to give it up on our own power play, and thats the only goal. It just adds to the frustration." New York, which lost for the third time in four games, dropped one point behind Philadelphia in the Metropolitan Division race and into an Eastern Conference wild-card position. "We definitely understand how important every point is," Lundqvist said. "We played a really strong game against one of the best teams in the league, but its hard to be positive about a lot of things when you dont win. Right now its about points, its not about playing great against good teams." San Jose, which had 11 shots in the first period, recorded four while short-handed and grabbed the lead. Couture took the puck away from Mats Zuccarello in the neutral zone, raced ahead of Brad Richards, shook him off, and beat Lundqvist with a backhander at 11:48 for his 19th goal -- second short-handed. "Felt good to get a shorty that stood up for us," Couture said. "We have a great attitude as a team and know how important the last 13 games will be." San Jose came out much better in the second and held a 10-7 shots edge during the scoreless frame. New Yorks next best scoring chance came with 4:09 left when defenceman Ryan McDonagh, seemingly with an open right side in front of him, had his shot blocked by the reaching stick of defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Niemi was the main reason the Sharks went into the first intermission with the lead. He stopped all 20 shots fired at him. "We played another great road game," Niemi said after the Sharks finished a 3-0 trip. "They came hard at us from the beginning. With good reads and some luck, I was able to make some saves." Niemi made two eye-popping stops against struggling forward Derick Brassard, including a point-blank chance with 40 seconds left that Niemi kicked out with his left pad. It had Brassard staring at the ceiling and shaking his head. Earlier in the period, Niemi quickly moved over to deny Brassards backhander at the right post off a rebound of McDonaghs shot. "Weve got to believe that if we keep playing this way we will be all right," Vigneault said. Lundqvist was also sharp in the first, making a strong save with his chest against Patrick Marleau, who fired the Sharks first shot from the slot 5:31 in. New York had the games first seven shots. NOTES: The Rangers havent allowed a power-play goal in eight games, killing 21 penalties. ... San Jose took three penalties after having none on Friday. Lamar Jackson Jersey . Scolari says that although Brazilians have the right to complain about the government and demand improvements, perhaps the protests wont be coming at the "right time. Justice Hill Womens Jersey http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Joe-Flacco-Jersey/ . While Minnesota takes aim at its eighth win of November, the Canadiens will try to post just their third victory in nine games this month. Joe Flacco Ravens Jersey .com Tour title, closing with a 6-under 64 for a four-stroke victory. The 22-year-old former North Texas player finished at 12-under 268 at Panama Golf Club and earned $112,500 to jump from seventh to second on the money list with $171,500. Iman Marshall Womens Jersey . A better question yet may be this: How many times has the same player been involved in both? Morneau hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and helped the Colorado Rockies turn the third triple play in team history as they beat the San Diego Padres 8-6 on Sunday.The 2014 NBA Draft will be a historic one for Canadian basketball, with as many as seven players from Canada - three of them as high as the first round - possibly selected. In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt. Name: Khem BirchFrom: Montreal, QuebecPlayed: University of Nevada, Las VegasHeight: 69"Weight: 209 Position: Power Forward2013-2014 Stats: 11.5 points per game, 10.2 rebounds, 3.8 blocks Breakout Game: 15 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks assists in win vs. Boise State on Feb 1.Accolades: 2013-14 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, finished second in the nation in blocked shots per game.Draft Projection: Mid-late second round.Comparable NBA player: Chris Andersen Khem Birchs young basketball career has already been fuelled by some interesting decisions. Birch entered the NCAA ranks as the 11th-best high school player in the United States, and accepted a scholarship with the University of Pittsburgh. However, the Montreal native controversially left Pitt only 10 games into his freshman season. At the point of his departure, he earned a spot in the starting line up and showed glimpses of the defence and athleticism that made him a blue chip prospect. Yet after citing team issues of selfishness, he returned home to figure out his next move, which would eventually lead him to transfer to UNLV. Birch played two seasons at UNLV, his first coinciding with Toronto native Anthony Bennetts standout fresshman campaign that culminated in his first overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.dddddddddddd Bennett outshined Birch with his dominant play and impressive stat line, yet Birch was named Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. This season with Bennett out of the picture, Birch almost doubled his scoring (7.5 ppg to 11.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.7 rpg to 10.2 rpg) averaging a double-double, and again winning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honours. Despite improvement across the board Birch is very much a raw athlete, and instead of spending another year at school to work on his offensive game, he declared for the 2014 NBA Draft. Birchs strength is his defence. His 71" wingspan placed him second in the NCAA in blocked shots behind fellow Canadian Jordan Bachynski at a clip of 3.8 per game. His quickness and mobility make him a strong rim protector and help defender where his tenacity on defence cant be overlooked, tallying 1.2 steals per game. Offensively, he can run the floor and moves well without the ball, but is very limited in terms of offensive moves. His inability to create his own shot, coupled with his slight build will make it hard for him to maintain position in the low post. Quite simply, Birch will have to bulk up, which will help him on the defensive end as well. A great athlete with a high motor equals lots of upside, yet hes still a project. If an NBA team wants to develop him and help round out his game, its not a risk, but a long-term investment. It would be an interesting choice, however thats something that Birch is not averse to. ' ' '