SAN JOSE —Winnipeg opened the season Thursday with six goals to race past the Arizona Coyotes. The San Jose Sharks used a 30-save performance by goaltender Alex Stalock Saturday night to cool the Jets 3-0.
The sold-out crowd of 17,562 at SAP Center saw the Sharks improve to 2-0, although the fans may have felt unfulfilled in some aspects because San Jose was 0 for 8 on the power play and did not register a shot on net in the final period.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau scored goals in the home opener for San Jose. The Sharks begin a five-game road trip Tuesday at the Washington Capitals. The Sharks’ next home game is Thursday Oct. 23 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“That was not a well-played game,” said Sharks coach Todd McLellan. “Our power play absolutely sucked the life out of our team.”
Keyed by a 15-3 edge in shots on net in the first period, the Sharks grabbed a 2-0 lead six minutes into action.
Vlasic netted his 31st career goal 3:22 into the game during his second shift. Patrick Marleau ignited the scoring play with a hard check at the endboards in the Jets zone. Linemate Logan Couture pulled the puck back to Vlasic in the high slot and the defenseman’s low shot skimmed over the pads of goaltender Ondrej Pavelec and into the net.
San Jose earned a 2-0 advantage at 5:12. Joe Thornton fed Hertl with a pass at the Jets blueline and the second-year winger sped around the defense and ripped a low shot inside the left post.
“The first period was very good,” Hertl said of the uneven play by the Sharks.
San Jose added a third even-strength goal in the second period. When Jet winger Dustin Byfuglien had trouble controlling the puck inside the San Jose blueline, Matt Nieto came up with the loose puck and aimed a head-man pass to Marleau. The breakaway at 19:31 of the period made it a 3-0 cushion when Marleau deked Pavelev to his left before snapping the puck inside the left post. Marleau leads San Jose in scoring with four points, two goals and two assists.
Winnipeg registered a 14-0 margin in shots in the closing period, despite putting the Sharks on four power plays.
“It’s a work in progress,” said McLellan of the power play shortcomings. “It’ll take some time.”
Antii Niemi made 34 saves in Wednesday’s 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings. San Jose became the seventh NHL team begin the season with consecutive shut-outs.
NOTES: The Sharks reassigned forward Eriah Hayes to Worcester of the AHL today. Hayes, who played in four pre-season games this year, registered one goal in 15 games with San Jose last season…Scott Hannan played in his 999th NHL game tonight…As in the season opener, Thornton, Marleau and Pavelski donned the ‘A’s as alternate captains.
