AP

SAN JOSE (CALIFORNIA) AFTER managing to stay even with San Jose despite playing short-handed for almost half of the game’s first 24 minutes, the Vancouver Canucks proved to be no match for the Sharks when they got three straight chances with a two-man advantage.

Sami Salo scored twice and Ryan Kesler added another during a dizzying two-minute stretch of three straight fiveon- three power plays that gave the Canucks a 4-2 victory in Game 4 on Sunday and a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference final.

Henrik Sedin helped set up the three goals in a span of 1:55 as the Canucks needed only 37 seconds on the three 5-on-3 situations to become the first team in NHL history to score three goals with a two-man advantage in the playoffs.“When you give Henrik that much open time, he’s going to find a way to make plays,” teammate Alexandre Burrows said.

“We have great shooters on that power play and it’s nice to see them.

He’s a magical player the way he’s able to hold on to that puck and make plays.” Sedin also assisted on Burrows’ even-strength goal in the third period to set a franchise record for assists in a game, increasing his leagueleading total to 19 points this postseason.

Daniel Sedin added three assists, and Roberto Luongo made 33 saves for the Canucks, who can reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1994 by winning Game 5 at home on Tuesday.

Vancouver had just 13 shots all game, scoring on four of its seven shots in the final two periods.

The Sharks had no answer for the Sedins, who have combined for 15 points in four games this series after having just seven points and a minus-10 rating in six games against Nashville the previous round.

“We’re both believers in if you work hard, you do the right thing, it’s going to turn around,” Henrik said.

“You got to hang in there and hope the other guys are playing great.

They’ve been doing that.

So that’s what we need.

We need different guys to step up each series.

That’s why we’re here.” Andrew Desjardins and Ryane Clowe had third-period goals for the Sharks, who failed to capitalize on five early power-play chances and were done in with their run of penalties.