Martin Jones makes 33 saves, Sharks beat Kings 4-1

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Martin Jones made 33 saves and Noah Gregor scored his first career NHL goal in the San Jose Sharks’ 4-1 victory over Los Angeles Kings on Friday.

Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also scored to help San Jose rebound from a lackluster effort Wednesday night against Winnipeg.

The Sharks beat the Kings for the second time in five days. But unlike Monday, when San Jose blew a 3-0 lead before winning in overtime, the Sharks kept the pressure up in the rematch.

Jones played a big role Friday, with the former Kings goalie coming within two minutes of his first shutout of the season. Kyle Clifford scored with 1:49 left for Los Angeles.

After a 5-1 defeat to Winnipeg on Wednesday that was characterized by Sharks coach Peter DeBoer as “lifeless,” San Jose came out with more fire. The result was a 2-0 lead after one period, despite San Jose being outshot 8-4.

Marcus Sorensen set up Marleau on the first score, faking a slap shot and directing a perfect pass to a waiting Marleau just to the right of the net. Vlasic’s goal came on a delayed penalty, with the defenseman getting a screen from Couture and firing a slap shot from 50 feet out that found the net.

Perhaps some of San Jose’s energy was a result of Tomas Hertl’s return to the ice. After missing four games with a lower-body injury, the veteran center returned to anchor the second line, flanked by wingers Timo Meier and Marleau.

Hertl entered the game as the Sharks’ second-leading goal scorer (10) and tied for second with 21 points.

The Sharks increased their lead to 4-0 in the second period.

Just three minutes into the period, Gregor won a footrace to the puck down the left side and fired a wrist shot that beat Kings goalie Jonathan Quick to his glove side.

Erik Karlsson, who had two assists, got the fourth goal started when he fired a shot that was re-directed toward the net by Barclay Goodrow and tipped in by Couture.

NOTES: Kings center Anze Kopitar had a four-game point streak snapped. He entered the day with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) over his previous 11 games. … Marleau’s first-period goal was the 557th of his career, moving him past Johnny Bucyk for 27th in NHL history. … The Sharks have now the first goal in five consecutive games.

UP NEXT

Kings: Host Winnipeg on Saturday night.

Sharks: At Arizona on Saturday night.