Jones, Sharks blank listless Devils
NEWARK, NJ -- The visiting San Jose Sharks looked fresh and fast while the host New Jersey Devils appeared tired and a bit sluggish Friday night at the Prudential Center. The result backed that up as the Sharks shut out the Devils 3-0.
The previous evening, the Devils (6-2-0) rallied for a 5-4 overtime victory over the Senators before flying home from Ottawa. The Sharks (3-3-0), meanwhile, were resting in New Jersey, helping to explain Friday's narrative.
Martin Jones stopped all 28 shots he faced for San Jose to earn his 16th career shutout. As good as he was, Jones was also somewhat lucky as three shot attempts by the Devils struck iron, including a short-handed attempt by Adam Henrique that hit the post 6:20 into the second period when the score was still 2-0.
Jones and Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid both were sharp in an entertaining, back-and-forth first period. Each team recorded 13 shots on goal, with the Sharks breaking through at 14:11 on Melker Karlsson's first goal of the season.
San Jose took control in the second period as the Devils appeared to wear down. Joe Pavelski deflected a Justin Braun shot past Kinkaid at 5:49 and Joonas Donskoi buried his own rebound at 18:50 to provide the visitors a commanding 3-0 lead.
It could have been worse for the Devils, but they killed off five Sharks power plays, including a four-minute double-minor for high sticking assessed to Miles Wood at 13:59 of the second.
The Devils, who had a three-game winning streak snapped Friday, also finished the night 0-for-5 on the power play.
The win provided a good start to a five-game east-coast road trip for San Jose, one that continues Saturday in Brooklyn against the New York Islanders.
NOTES: The Devils placed G Cory Schneider (lower body) on injured reserve prior to the game and recalled G Scott Wedgewood from Binghamton (AHL) to serve as Keith Kinkaid's backup. ... In a quirk of early-season scheduling, the Devils do not play again until Friday. ... The Devils scratched D Steven Santini, D Dalton Prout and RW Stefan Noesen. ... After starting the season with a five-game homestand, the Sharks played their first road game Friday. By that point, every other NHL team played at least once on the road this season. ... The Sharks scratched RW Joel Ward, D Dylan DeMelo and RW Barclay Goodrow.