San Jose rolls over Vancouver, win streak hits 6
Evander Kane scored twice, leading the visiting Sharks to a 7-2 rout of Vancouver on Monday night.
The victory moved San Jose into first place in the Western Conference and extended the Sharks’ winning streak to six.
Timo Meier, Melker Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, Kevin Lebanc and Joe Pavelski also scored for the Sharks. Martin Jones had 25 saves.
Bo Horvat and Derrick Pouliot scored for Vancouver. Mike DiPietro stopped 17 of 24 shots in his NHL debut.
The 19-year-old native of Amherstburg, Ontario, was called up from the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67s on an emergency basis last week after Vancouver backup Thatcher Demko was sidelined with a knee sprain.
DiPietro struggled early, letting in the first shot of the game after defenseman Erik Gudbranson failed to corral the puck behind the net.
Logan Couture collected the puck and dished it to Meier, who fired it past DiPietro 1:04 into the first period.
The Sharks added another goal just minutes later off a high shot by Kane. Vancouver defenseman Ben Hutton attempted to punch the puck out of the air in front of the net, but instead sent it in off of DiPietro.
When Karlsson added San Jose’s third goal 8:48 into the opening period, the Canucks had yet to register a shot.
Vancouver outshot San Jose 13-5 in the second period, but the Sharks added goals from Kane, Hertl and Lebanc.