BOSTON -- Be it home or away, the San Jose Sharks know they can't afford to waste chances to stay alive in the deep Pacific Division and Western Conference.

"We're in a position where we need wins," right winger Joe Pavelski, San Jose's captain, said after his goal and two assists helped the Sharks to a 5-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

"Can't look back. Each night's important, and so far on this road trip, they've been good quality wins for us. Good team wins. A lot of guys contributed, and that's what you need. The biggest thing is guys are showing up. Everyone's contributing, and we're getting that solid effort from everyone."

The Sharks, who missed the playoffs last season, poured three goals past goalie Tuukka Rask in a 3 1/2-minute span of the second period and won a matchup of a good road team against a poor home one.

San Jose, 3-5-0 at home, is 3-0-0 on its current six-game road trip, 7-3-0 on the season away from home. The Bruins, 6-2-0 on the road, fell to 2-6-1 at home, with Rask allowing 32 goals in those seven losses.

"We want to try and get on a roll here at home, and we just seem every time we get an opportunity to continue improving on our game, we take a step back," said Bruins left winger Brad Marchand, whose team is 1-2-0 on its current five-game homestand.

Center Melker Karlsson, left winger Patrick Marleau and center Joe Thornton scored the goals that gave San Jose a 5-3 lead 9:21 into the second period -- Marleau and Thornton connecting on the power play 26 seconds apart for the lead. It was Marleau's 999th career NHL point.

"It'd be nice to get it and get it over and done with and just keep moving on," he said of reaching the 1,000-point milestone.

Center Patrice Bergeron, who has a five-game points streak, got a power play goal back for the Bruins 6:28 into the third period, cutting the deficit to one.

The Bruins were pressing for the tying goal when Marchand took an ill-advised high-sticking penalty with 2:40 remaining. The Bruins killed the penalty and got one good shot at goaltender Martin Jones with Rask pulled in the final minute.

Thornton, the former Bruins captain traded away 10 years ago, and defenseman Brent Burns (nine points in the last nine games) had two assists apiece, and Karlsson also notched an assist. He has two goals in four games with San Jose.

Right winger Joonas Donskoi also scored for the Sharks.

Right winger Tyler Randell, Marchand and right winger Loui Eriksson also scored for the Bruins. Center David Krejci and defenseman Dennis Seidenberg had two assists apiece in the loss.

"We know what we are, but it doesn't mean we necessarily play that way every night," Marchand said. "We know that when we play our game and when we play our system that we're a good team and we give ourselves an opportunity to win. So, we just have to make sure we do that and we'll be OK."

It was Pavelski's second three-point game of the season, his first since opening night.

Jones, who was a Bruin for five days over the summer before being traded to San Jose, made 25 saves to improve to 9-5-0.

"He's been there all season for us," Marleau said.

Rask made 23 saves in falling to 5-7-1 overall.

The Sharks, who had 19 shots in the second period, struck for two power-play goals as the home team took three straight penalties. The Marleau goal, on a rebound, was challenged by the Bruins but was confirmed. Thornton then ripped one from the high slot just 14 seconds into a power play, with San Jose working a nifty passing play to set up the center.

The Bruins, who are No. 1 in the league on the power play but are last in penalty-killing, gave up two power-play goals to a team that came in with one power-play score in its previous seven games. Boston has a power-play goal in nine of the past 10 games.

NOTES: Bruins D Colin Miller skated in warmups but missed his second straight game with a lower body injury. He was available if needed. ... The Sharks had veteran F Dainius Zubrus at their Monday practice at TD Garden and he will continue to practice with the team on a tryout through the rest of the road trip. The 37-year-old, released by the New Jersey Devils and the St. Louis Blues, hasn't been offered a contract but could be added as depth and play for his former New Jersey coach, Pete DeBoer. "For a big guy and for his age, I think he's in phenomenal shape," DeBoer, who had Zubrus last year, said Monday. ... Bruins Ds Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid played in their 700th and 300th NHL games, respectively. ... San Jose C Joe Thornton, a former Bruins captain, has four goals and six assists in 12 career games against Boston.