Jets 4, Sharks 1
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Getting goals from Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, Mathieu Perreault and Nikolaj Ehlers, the Winnipeg Jets defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1 on Saturday night at SAP Center, ending their six-game road losing streak.
Rookie goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves for the Jets (18-18-2).
Defenseman Brent Burns scored for San Jose (18-17-2). Goaltender Matin Jones gave up three goals on 20 shots but was replaced by backup Alex Stalock after the second period with the Sharks trailing 3-1.
The Sharks fell to 5-11-0 at SAP Center, the NHL's worst home mark. They gave up the first goal, trailed the entire game and failed for the fifth time to win back-to-back home games. San Jose is 0-10-0 at home when giving up the first goal.
The Jets had lost 12 of their previous 13 road games before beating the Sharks.
The Jets grabbed a 1-0 lead at 13:14 of the first period when Stafford scored a short-handed goal, capitalizing on a turnover by Sharks right winger Joel Ward in San Jose's end.
Jets left winger Blake Wheeler intercepted Ward's pass, igniting a two-on-one rush. Wheeler skated through the left circle, drawing Jones his way, and sent a pass across to Stafford, who put a wrist shot into an open net.
The Sharks outshot the Jets 8-7 in the first period but couldn't put the puck past Hellebuyck.
The Jets increased their lead to 2-0 on Armia's first goal of the season just 2:45 into the second period. Armia moved the puck along the left boards, angled toward the crease and banked a shot off Sharks defenseman Justin Braun's skate and past Jones.
Jets right winger Matt Halischuk beat Jones with a wrist shot, giving Armia his first NHL point.
Burns cut Winnipeg's lead to 2-1 with a power play goal at 9:23 of the second period. Center Joe Thornton sent a cross ice pass to Burns, who ripped a one-timer from above the left circle past Hellebuyck.
Perreault answered with a power play goal at 14:55 of the second period, giving the Jets a 3-1 lead. Perreault sent a wrist shot from the right circle into the upper left corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
NOTES: Jets C Mark Scheifele (concussion) is eligible to be activated from injured reserve Sunday and return to the lineup against Anaheim, but he still needs to be cleared medically. He skated hard for a third time Saturday morning and took "hard contact," coach Paul Maurice said. "He looks right, he feels right. We've been really careful with this one. So tomorrow, if he's not absolutely 100 percent, we won't consider him for the lineup." ... Sharks C Logan Couture (thigh surgery) played his second game since returning to action, but he won't resume his roll on the penalty kill until he's closer to 100 percent healthy, San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. ... D Adam Pardy, D Paul Postma and RW Anthony Peluso were healthy scratches for Winnipeg. ... RW Mike Brown and RW Ben Smith were healthy scratches for San Jose.