Sharks edge rival Kings in opener
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Defenseman Brent Burns scored a tiebreaking goal early in the third period, and goalie Martin Jones slammed the door on his former team as the San Jose Sharks beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 Wednesday at SAP Center.
The Sharks earned their seventh consecutive opening-night victory, the longest current streak of first-game success in the NHL.
Jones allowed a goal to Tyler Toffoli on the Kings' first shot, then stopped the final 21 shots he faced, including all seven in the second period and each of the Kings' eight in the third.
Logan Couture scored San Jose's first goal in the opening period.
Burns' first goal of the season came 3:20 into the final period on a bit of a broken play. Sharks second-line right winger Joonas Donskoi's attempted cross-ice feed from the left circle was blocked by diving Kings defenseman Drew Doughty right in the direction of a pinching Burns.
San Jose's Norris Trophy finalist swiped a shot past Kings relief goalie Jeff Zatkoff, who replaced injured Los Angeles starter Jonathan Quick at the outset of the second period.
Burns continued his recent surge against the Kings. He has seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in the 11 meetings (including playoffs) between the California rivals since the start of last season.
The Sharks and Kings traded power-play goals and were tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, an opening period that featured San Jose getting the better of shots 15-7 and territorial advantage.
Couture tripped Los Angeles captain Anze Kopitar 49 seconds after the opening faceoff following a turnover by Burns.
History repeated itself when Toffoli went top shelf, slipping a perfect shot over Jones' left shoulder at 1:22. Toffoli also beat Jones on the game's first shot last year, but not only did the Sharks rally for a 5-1 win on opening night, but Jones didn't surrender another goal for a franchise-record 234:33.
The hosts tied it when Couture beat a screened Quick at 14:05, a shot from the edge of the left circle that came 52 seconds into winger Kyle Clifford's interference penalty on San Jose defenseman David Schlemko.
Quick sustained a lower-body injury at some point of an opening period he completed. He was replaced at the start of the second period by backup Jeff Zatkoff.
It may have happened immediately following Couture's goal when Quick took exception to Sharks captain Joe Pavelski poking around his crease after the score. Quick jumped Pavelski to touch off a nine-player mini-scrum. Quick and Pavelski were assessed matching minors for roughing.
Quick stopped 14 of 15 shots, and Zatkoff saved 15 of 16 shots.
NOTES: Kings LW Devin Setoguchi appeared in an NHL game for the first time since Nov. 22, 2014. The No. 8 overall pick by San Jose in 2005, he signed a two-way contract with Los Angeles after making the team on a tryout basis in camp. ... LW Mikkel Boedker and D David Schlemko debuted with the Sharks after each signed a four-year deal on the first day of free agency. ... San Jose embarks on a five-game road trip that starts Saturday at Columbus. ... Los Angeles hosts Philadelphia on Friday. ... Kings RW Tanner Pearson missed the first of two regular-season games due to suspension for a preseason hit on Edmonton D Brandon Davidson. Los Angeles was also without RW Marian Gaborik, out for approximately eight weeks with a broken foot he sustained during the World Cup of Hockey. ... San Jose D Dylan DeMelo and RW Micheal Haley and Los Angeles D Tom Gilbert and C Nic Dowd were healthy scratches.