Bruins blank the Sharks to stop 3-game skid
BOSTON -- Paval Zacha had a goal and an assist as the Boston Bruins snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk also scored. Jeremy Swayman — pulled during Monday's 5-2 loss to Columbus — stopped all 28 shots he faced for his second shutout this season.
David Pastrnak added two assists for the Bruins, who beat the NHL-worst Sharks for the 13th straight time.
MacKenzie Blackwood made 32 saves for San Jose, which won its previous two games.
After both teams squandered power-play chances in a scoreless first period, the Bruins struck 1:38 into the second as Heinen drilled a shot short side for his third goal of the season. San Jose had an opportunity to clear the puck but Matt Poitras kept the play alive by sliding a backhand feed over to Heinen, who glided through the circle by his lonesome before ripping the puck past Blackwood.
Later in the same period, Boston's advantage grew to 2-0 when DeBrusk was the recipient of strong puck movement that enabled the forward to walk in and beat Blackwood with a backhand at 8:10. It was DeBrusk's third goal in the last five games, with assists from Zacha and Pastrnak.
San Jose was awarded a 5-on-3 chance with 25.5 seconds remaining in the second. The power play carried over into the third period, with the Sharks failing to register a single shot after Charlie McAvoy was given a boarding penalty and Brad Marchand received an additional two minutes for instigating a fight.
A give-and-go sequence between Pastrnak and Zacha turned into a power-play goal at 6:37 of the third. Pastrnak has 20 assists.
Boston's dominance in the second translated into an 18-6 advantage in shots. For the game, San Jose was outshot 35-28.
The Sharks are 0-10-0 on the road this season. They opened a six-game trip with the first of three games in four days.
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Sharks: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.
