Sharks jump ahead early in 4-2 win over Canadiens
MONTREAL -- The San Jose Sharks scored early and never looked back, skating away with a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night at the Bell Centre.
David Schlemko, Patrick Marleau, Timo Meier and Melker Karlsson scored for San Jose, which won its fourth straight.
Montreal (19-7-4) got goals from Brian Flynn and Jeff Petry.
Martin Jones had 26 saves for the Sharks (19-11-1). Carey Price allowed four goals on 18 shots for Montreal and Al Montoya stopped all five shots he faced in relief.
Flynn busted Jones' shutout bid at 10:28 of the third period when Zach Redmond found him at the side of the net for the tap-in.
Petry brought Montreal within two nearly 3 1/2 minutes later. After missing a wide-open net in close, the defenseman found his way back to the point and fired a shot that hit bodies and sticks in front before finding its way past Jones.
The Sharks' power play, which hasn't enjoyed nearly the same success on the road as it has on home ice, connected on its second advantage of the night at 6:50 of the first period. Schlemko fired a shot from the top of the left circle, beating a screened Price for his first of the season.
Marleau doubled San Jose's lead less than three minutes later, again on the power play. Joe Thornton waited patiently behind Montreal's net before sending a perfect feed to Marleau, untouched in the slot.
Meier, making his NHL debut, made his first shot on goal count at 13:18. Price stopped Schlemko's point shot but the loose puck was there in front for Meier to send a backhand into the net.
Karlsson chased Price at 6:44 of the second period. Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec tried to backhand the puck around the end boards to a teammate, but Micheal Haley intercepted it, sending it to Karlsson in the low slot, and the Karlsson lifted a backhander past Price.
Coach Michel Therrien, who had planned to have Montoya start Saturday's game in Washington, used his backup to replace Price after the Canadiens gave up four goals on 18 shots. It was the first time since Oct. 13, 2014, that Price was pulled from a game.
Montreal winger Sven Andrighetto left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return.
NOTES: Montreal RW Andrew Shaw was a late scratch against the Sharks, as the team announced he would miss the game with concussion-like symptoms that developed late Thursday afternoon. The team also announced that he wouldn't make the trip to Washington, where the Habs will face the Capitals on Saturday night. ... Canadiens D Mark Barberio was the team's lone healthy scratch. ... Called up Thursday from the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, RW Timo Meier made his NHL debut. ... The Sharks scratched RW Joel Ward, LW Matt Nieto and D Dylan DeMelo. ... San Jose RW Joonas Donskoi drew back in after sitting out Wednesday's game in Ottawa. ... Montreal C Tomas Plekanec appeared in his 200th consecutive game.