Sharks shut out Capitals to end skid
WASHINGTON-- Joe Thornton had a goal and an assist, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns each scored once as the San Jose Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
Goalie Martin Jones, pulled early in the Sharks' 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, rebounded Tuesday and finished with 24 saves. He got plenty of help from his defense, which frustrated Washington on numerous scoring chances.
San Jose (7-6-0) ended Washington's five-game winning streak. The Capitals (8-3-1) were blanked for the first time this season.
The Sharks scored a 5-0 victory over Washington last Oct. 13 in their lone trip to the nation's capital in the 2015-16 season. Jones also was the goalie in that victory. San Jose now holds a 25-9-2-1 all-time record vs. the Capitals.
Neither team scored in the first period, which ended with San Jose holding a 9-4 edge in shots as Washington did find some good chances but couldn't convert.
The Capitals tied a season low with the four shots, although two of their better opportunities came on short-handed situations.
Washington stepped up the pace in the second period, especially early, putting lots of pressure on Jones and the San Jose defense, but the Sharks stood firm and got on the board first.
Vlasic scored on a slap shot with 7:37 left in the middle period. The shot changed direction, hitting Washington defenseman Karl Alzner as he was battling former Capital Joel Ward between the faceoff circles.
Joe Pavelski and Thornton got the assists.
Burns made it 2-0 with 2:34 remaining in the period, putting a wrist shot past goalie Braden Holtby from the right circle after a pass from Logan Couture.
Paul Martin earned the other assist.
Washington again stepped up the pressure in the first part of the third period and again later, but Thornton's empty-net goal with 1:32 left closed it out. Ward got the assist after a quick clearing pass.
Holtby finished with 20 saves.
NOTES: The Capitals and Sharks meet once more this season, on March 9 in San Jose. ... Washington starts a three-game road trip Friday at Chicago. The Capitals then visit Carolina and Columbus before returning home on Nov. 16 to begin a five-game homestand. ... San Jose plays at Florida on Thursday. ... Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin is trying to become the 37th player to earn 1,000 points with one team. He needs 23 more to reach that goal. ... San Jose RW Kevin Labanc was recalled from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL, and the 20-year old made his NHL debut. He finished plus-1 in 13:23 of ice time.