Howard, Nyquist propel Red Wings past Sharks
DETROIT -- Jimmy Howard made 30 saves for the 23rd shutout of his career and first of the season and Gustav Nyquist scored twice as the Detroit Red Wings breezed to a 3-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena.
Forward Andreas Athanasiou also scored for Detroit, which won its fourth straight after losing its first two games of the season. It was also the Red Wings' second victory in as nights as they beat the Nashville Predators, 5-3, on Friday.
Martin Jones stopped 29 shots for the Sharks, who have lost three of their last four after winning their first two games.
Nyquist scored twice in the second period to give Detroit a 2-0 lead.
He opened the scoring 4:14 into the middle period when he beat Jones from the right circle to complete a 2-on-1 rush. Nyquist's second goal of the game and third of the season came with 4:40 left in the session. He put a shot off of Jones and into the net from the inside part of the right circle.
San Jose defenseman Brent Burns hit the goal post on a backhand shot from the left circle as time ran out in the second period.
Red Wings defenseman Mike Green blocked Sharks center Joe Thornton's shot from the bottom of the left circle with an open Detroit net 4:36 into the third period.
Athanasiou made it 3-0 at 6:05 into the third period with a slap shot from the top of the left circle that beat Jones high on the long side. It was Athanasiou's first goal of the season.
Detroit, which outshot San Jose 11-6 in the first period, failed on all seven of its power-play opportunities. The Sharks went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
NOTE: Saturday night's game was the end of a five-game road trip for San Jose. ... Detroit played Friday night -- a 5-3 win against the Nashville Predators at Joe Louis Arena -- and only a few players participated in an optional morning skate Saturday. ... It was Sharks coach Pete DeBoer's last trip to Joe Louis Arena, where he began his coaching career in the Ontario Hockey League in the early '90s with the Detroit Jr. Red Wings (now the Flint Firebirds). ... Backup G Jimmy Howard got the start for the Red Wings on Saturday after Petr Mrazek played Friday night.