Evander Kane scores for third straight game, leads Sharks past skidding Ducks
Evander Kane scored for the third straight game, Martin Jones stopped 26 shots, and the San Jose Sharks beat the skidding Ducks 3-1 on Saturday night at Honda Center.
Kevin Labanc and Dylan Gambrell also scored for the Sharks, who have their first three-game winning streak this season. That includes victories on consecutive nights during which they have outscored the Ducks 9-1.
“It feels good to have this first little winning streak, especially on the road,” San Jose coach Bob Boughner said. “I believe if we play like we have over the last two games, we can have success against a lot of teams.”
It was Jones’ 163rd win in goal for the Sharks, tying him for second in franchise history with Antti Niemi. Evgeni Nabokov leads with 293.
“I felt pretty good out there,” Jones said. “The defense did a good job clearing out bodies, which allowed me to pick out the loose pucks.”
Devan Dubnyk made 34 saves for his 33rd career shutout, lifting the visiting San Jose Sharks to a 6-0 win over the skidding Ducks on Friday night.
Kane continued his goals streak six minutes into the first period when he went coast to coast and beat Ducks goalie Ryan Miller with a wrist shot. Three of Kane’s 11 goals this season have come against the Ducks.
“These are important wins,“ Kane said. “Guys like myself understand you can’t get too far out of the race, especially at this point of the season.”
After Max Jones tied it for the Ducks at 5:38 of the second period, Labanc put San Jose ( 11-11-3) back on top 55 seconds later with a one-timer that was set up after a pass by Tomas Hertl. Labanc, who had a goal and two assists Friday night, has scored in two straight games for the second time this season.
Gambrell extended the Sharks’ lead to two goals two minutes into the third when he tipped in a loose puck in front of the net for his first goal of the season.
Highlights from the Ducks’ 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at Honda Center.
Jones had Anaheim’s lone goal, and Miller made 30 saves. The Ducks (8-15-6), who are in last place in the West Division, have dropped three straight and are 2-5-3 in their last 10 games.
It is the 12th time in 29 games that Anaheim has had one or fewer goals.
“Our whole group should be frustrated,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “If you are just walking in here every day like it is all rainbows and butterflies, that’s not a very good attitude to have. There has to be frustration, but you have to channel that in the right direction.”
The Kings and Ducks have both climbed well north of rock bottom but remain a good way south of Stanley Cup contention.
Jones’ goal ended a scoring drought for Anaheim that spanned 119 minutes 59 seconds. He was able to chase a loose puck into the offensive zone, skated up right wing and let go of a wrist shot that went off Martin Jones’ blocker into the net.
It was Jones’ fourth goal of the season and his first point in eight games. The Ducks had two prime scoring opportunities in the first period but could not convert. Danton Heinen was stopped on a breakaway, and Max Comtois hit the post.
“We’re just a step behind right now. It’s frustrating,” Max Jones said. “We really want to play the right way, and it’s not easy. It is something we are struggling with right now.”
Carter Rowney out 4-6 months
The Ducks announced before the game that center Carter Rowney will miss four to six months after he underwent surgery Friday to repair a medial meniscus tear in his left knee. Anaheim center Derek Grant was scratched from Saturday’s game because of an upper-body injury.
The Ducks will travel to Colorado to face the Avalanche on Tuesday night. Anaheim has a 2-0-2 mark against Colorado.
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