SAN JOSE—Patrick Marleau scored two goals and Martin Jones made 27 saves as the San Jose Sharks improved to 2-0 with a 2-0 decision over the visiting Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center Saturday night.
“The Sharks are back,” said first-year coach Peter DeBoer. “They are for real this year.”
Marleau opened the scoring with a goal 38.1 seconds before the end of the second period. After Marleau’s first shot was turned back by Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen, Logan Couture’s follow-up effort was kicked aside. Marleau was in position to lift the puck over Andersen’s glove for his 457th career goal.
Marleau’s second goal of the game gave the Sharks breathing room at 2-0 with 4:50 left in the game.
Joel Ward nabbed the lone assist, his second helper of the game, on the Marleau play. Marleau whipped behind the Anaheim net with the puck before snapping it through the blue ice. Andersen tried to keep the puck in play, but it bounced off Andersen’s right knee and dropped into the netting.
Jones “was fantastic,” DeBoer said. “He was composed, made some great saves at key times.
“We played in their end most of the third period,” added DeBoer.
San Jose begins a four-game roadtrip Tuesday with a game at Washington. The Sharks test New Jersey Friday, Islanders Saturday and the New York Rangers Monday. The next home date for San Jose is Thursday Oct. 22 against the Los Angeles Kings.
San Jose’s Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 28, became the team’s franchise leader in games played by a defenseman when he played in Saturday’s game against the Ducks. The previous leader was Mike Rathje.
The Sharks are alone atop the Pacific Division with four points, one point ahead of Vancouver.
Marleau paced the San Jose offense with seven shots on net. Joe Thornton and Brent Burns added five shots apiece.
