COLUMBUS, Ohio — As might be expected from a team four games into a 13-day, seven-game road trip, the San Jose Sharks were late starters.

Thanks to goalie Antti Niemi, they made up for lost time.

Patrick Marleau scored from a sharp angle with 4:51 left to lift San Jose to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.

“This wasn’t the plan by any means,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. “The first period we weren’t alert, we didn’t have our legs underneath us and we weren’t very competitive. To come back was a nice thing. Our goaltender had a huge part in that.”

Niemi made 42 saves, including 28 in the final two periods.

Also on Wednesday:

Predators 4

Red Wings 1

DETROIT — Martin Erat scored the first of Nashville’s four goals to chase Jimmy Howard, and Pekka Rinne made 34 saves for the Predators.

Bruins 8

Canadiens 6

BOSTON — Milan Lucic scored twice in a wild second period, and Nathan Horton had a goal and four assists for Boston.

Wild 3

Avalanche 2

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Niklas Backstrom turned in another strong performance with 23 saves, and Minnesota hung on to beat Colorado.

Coyotes 3

Stars 2

DALLAS — Radim Vrbata scored a power-play goal at 1:13 of overtime to lift Phoenix to victory over Dallas.

Blackhawks 4

Oilers 1

EDMONTON, Alberta — Patrick Kane scored twice and Chicago snapped a two-game losing streak with a victory over Edmonton.

Ducks 4

Canucks 3

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Bobby Ryan scored twice and Curtis McElhinney made 34 saves as Anaheim won.

Flames 5

Senators 2

CALGARY, Alberta — Tim Jackman scored twice and Anton Babchuk had a goal and two assists in Calgary’s victory.