In San Jose, Martin Jones was stellar as he made 33 saves for the Sharks in a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday.
The Sharks were coming off a dismal loss to the Winnipeg Jets earlier in the week.
“After the last game, we really wanted to fix some things, and getting the first goal was really important,” San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. “It was a nice bounce-back game after last game.”
They got the first four goals of the games.
“If you have to pick out something to be disappointing,” Jones said of losing the shutout late. “Defensively, offensively, we were real good.”
Kyle Clifford scored for the Kings in the third period after the game was well in hand.
“Bottom line is we weren’t good enough,” Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. “We didn’t have legs. We didn’t execute passes. We were a step too slow mentally and physically.”
Patrick Marleau potted the needed first goal of the game early in the opening period.
“It’s important to get that lead,” center Joe Thornton said. “We didn’t have a very good game last game, and we addressed that yesterday. To get two quick ones was huge and follow up in the second period to get two more, it was a good game.”
Marc-Edouard Vlasic made the score 2-0 on a delayed penalty.
Noah Gregor picked up his first career NHL goal, and Logan Couture capped the Sharks offense in the middle frame.
“You can hear the fans when they announce it’s your first goal — they’re happy for you. It was a great goal, a great shot,” Marleau said.
[WATCH: All Kings vs. Sharks highlights]
Jonathan Quick made 18 save in the loss.
“We started the second period feeling pretty good, and we put together a few offensive-zone shifts,” the Kings’ Joakim Ryan said. “We were getting chances, and we just couldn’t get them by Jones.”
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