Red Wings reel in Sharks with 4-1 victory

DETROIT: The Detroit Red Wings continued to reel in the San Jose Sharks, setting up a battle for the Western conference title with a 4-1 win on Wednesday.

With just six weeks remaining in the regular season and the Sharks five points clear of the Red Wings with two games in hand, the final meeting between the West's top two teams was considered crucial if Detroit hoped to take a run at first place.

The Stanley Cup champions confirmed they are still in the race, jumping to a 3-0 lead and then holding on to earn a win and split the four-game series, both teams winning twice on home ice.