Jones, Early Goals Help Sharks Beat Devils 4-0
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Keeping the puck and putting pressure on the opponent are good ways to wind up on the winning side.
Sharks goalie Martin Jones thought that's what San Jose did all night, making his job easy.
Jones made 26 saves, Chris Tierney and Patrick Marleau each scored early and San Jose sent the New Jersey Devils to their third straight loss Monday night with a 4-0 victory.
"We played well the whole night," Jones said. "We were smart with the puck. We did a good job in front of the net. I wasn't asked to do too much. When we play like that we're tough to beat."
Logan Couture and Brent Burns also scored for the Sharks, who had just one point in their last three games.
Keith Kinkaid saved 37 of 41 shots for the Devils, who ended their California trip winless in three games.
"They were throwing everything at the net and I have to do my job," Kinkaid said. "The puck was bouncing everywhere and they got the breaks tonight."
Tierney scored a short-handed goal two minutes into the contest after he stole a pass and raced unguarded to beat Kinkaid. Tierney later left the game after getting hit in the face by the puck.
"Give up a shorty, you have to realize there's still 58 minutes left to play," Devils defenseman Andy Greene said. "You're always going to have adversity and you have to play through it. We weren't good tonight."
Marleau scored less than five minutes later, getting his 20th career point against the Devils and the 486th goal of his career. Joe Pavelski, who has points in three straight games, set up Marleau.
"We protected the puck and put in good spots," Pavelski said. "It was a clean game. We had chances all night and won a few battles."
The Sharks received a couple of lucky bounces on their final two goals. Joe Thornton's shot midway through the second period kicked off the back of Greene's skate and straight to Couture, who had an open shot into the net.
"The goalie really didn't follow it," Couture said. "He kind of got lost."
Burns jabbed at the puck a couple of times in front of the net before it floated away from Kinkaid. Kyle Quincey poked at it in an attempt to clear it but accidentally knocked it into the net instead.
NOTES: Thornton moved into a tie for 25th on the career points list with Brendan Shanahan, after assisting on Couture's goal. He has 1,354 points. It was also his 900th point in a Sharks' uniform. ... The Devils are 0 for 28 on the power play in their last nine games. ... Greene appeared in his 329th consecutive game for the Devils, third-longest such stretch in team history. ... The Sharks ended a two-game losing streak against the Devils.
UP NEXT:
Devils: Return home to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night.
Sharks: Continue a five-game homestand with a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
