Sharks 6, Blues 2
Captain Joe Thornton collected a goal and three assists and Patrick Marleau scored and set up two other tallies as visiting San Jose remained perfect while handing St. Louis its first loss.
Logan Couture registered a tally and an assist while Joe Pavelski, Tommy Wingels and defenseman Scott Hannan also scored for the Sharks (6-0-0), who began last season with a franchise-record seven straight victories. Antti Niemi made 25 saves as San Jose lost blue-liner Dan Boyle to an apparent head injury after an illegal hit early in the first period.
Boyle was hit from behind in the left corner by Maxim Lapierre 5:22 into the contest and lay motionless after banging his head on the ledge of the boards and crumpling to the ice. Boyle was taken off on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital, where he was reported to be alert and responsive.
Lapierre received a major for checking from behind as well as five minutes for fighting Andrew Desjardins, who immediately dropped his gloves and chased down the Blues center after the hit on Boyle. The Sharks scored once on the five-minute power play and again just three seconds after a 5-on-3 advantage expired to carry a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Couture received a backhand pass from the slot by Marleau and ripped a shot past Jaroslav Halak from the left faceoff circle at 9:37 to open the scoring. Pavelski beat Halak with a one-timer, also from the left circle, 48 seconds later to double the advantage.
Wingels scored on a wraparound at 8:34 of the second and Hannan drilled a slap shot from the top of the left circle past Halak with 2:47 remaining after receiving a slick cross-ice feed from Thornton for a 4-0 lead.
Thornton continued the onslaught just over five minutes into the third, beating Brian Elliott high to the glove side. Vladimir Tarasenko ended Niemi's shutout bid at 7:23 and defenseman Roman Polak tallied just over five minutes later for St. Louis, which completed a season-opening 4-1-0 homestand. Marleau netted a power-play goal with 2:54 left to cap the scoring.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Sharks rookie C Tomas Hertl was in the lineup after exiting Saturday's victory over Ottawa with an apparent shoulder injury and recorded an assist. ... The goals by Pavelski, Hannan and Thornton were their first of the season. ... San Jose has not allowed more than two goals in a game. ... Halak allowed four goals on 26 shots over two periods before being replaced by Elliott, who stopped 11 of the 13 shots he faced in the third.