New Jersey hands San Jose a 5-2 defeat

SAN JOSE – New Jersey put a dent in San Jose’s plan to create some space between the Sharks and the two teams trailing them in the Pacific Division by powering past the hosts 5-2 at` sold-out SAP Center.

While the loss left the Sharks with 54 points in seventh place in the Western Conference, a three-point game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames moved Calgary to 53 points, the KIngs at 52.

San Jose takes on the Kings Wednesday night in the club’s final game before the All-Star break.

New Jersey came into the game as the seventh-place team in the Metropolitan Division and missing Jaromir Jagr for the third straight game. The Devils shook off the underdog label by scoring the final three goals of the game.

The Sharks’ offense mustered two goals for the eighth time in the past nine games.

Joe Pavelski, 21^st among NHL scorers coming into play, gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead 3:59 into action. Pavelski and Joe Thornton traded passes in the offensive zone before Pavelski lined a low shot inside the right post past a screened goaltender Cory Schneider. Thornton moved into a tie for 21^st place all-time in the league with 878 assists.

The Devil regrouped to score twice within a 35-second span, taking a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Jordin Tootoo chipped the puck over goaltender Alex Stalock from the front of the crease at 15:29 for the equalizer. Steve Bernier gave the Devils a 2-1 cushion when he jammed home a feed from behind the net from Scott Gomez at 16:04.

The Devils lost the lead at the four-minute mark of the second period. Tyler Kennedy’s cross-ice pass allowed Matt Nieto to pocket his fourth goal of the season.

New Jersey, though on the short end of a 36-34 edge in shots on net, sliced through the Sharks’ defense to come away with the three-goal margin.

Mike Cammalleri whipped a low shot off a blocked shot at 14:45 of the second period for a power-play goal. The Devils followed with a goal from Travis Zajac at 11:12 of the third period. Jacob Josefson added a short-handed goal at the 14:32 mark.