SAN JOSE – Finally, the Sharks got some much-needed offense from players that were mired in dreadful scoring slumps.
Usual suspects Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski scored for San Jose, which also got two goals from Tomas Hertl and one each from Matt Nieto, Melker Karlsson and Joonas Donskoi in a 7-0 rout over Toronto at SAP Center on Saturday evening.
San Jose erupted for four goals in the second period to take complete control of the game from the Maple Leafs, who dropped their seventh straight to the Sharks in convincing fashion.
[RELATED: Shot of the Game: Burns starts Sharks second period barrage]
Burns opened the scoring. On a brilliant rush that started in the neutral zone, the Wookie chipped the puck around Nazem Kadri, charged across the blue line, danced around Dion Phaneuf and went high over goalie Jonathan Bernier at 4:18 for his 18th marker.
Nieto’s fifth goal, shorthanded, increased the cushion. Tommy Wingels made it happen, taking advantage of a bad change by Peter Holland and tracking down a loose puck in the offensive zone. He froze Bernier and dished to Nieto for an easy slam-dunk at 8:09. It was Nieto’s second goal in the last 20 games.
Hertl, skating on the top line to start a game for the first time this season, factored in on the next two in making it 4-0 before the second intermission. Jake Gardiner’s horrific defensive zone turnover eventually resulted in Hertl’s tape-to-tape backhanded feed to Pavelski in front of the net at 15:33, and less than two minutes later Hertl deposited the rebound of a Justin Braun shot at 17:29.
The goal was Hertl’s fifth of the season, and just his third in the last 35 games.
Karlsson and Donskoi continued break-out-of-your-scoring-slump night in the third period. Karlsson converted a breakaway goal at 4:10 of the third period, his second in his last 19 games despite a demotion to the fourth line to start the second period.
At 9:38, Donskoi skated around the net and squeaked it through Bernier for his second goal in the last 21. Hertl, who had just two goals in his previous 34 games, secured his first multi-goal game of the season at 11:22 of the third, again sliding home a Braun rebound.
Braun finished with three assists and a plus-five rating.
The Sharks got away with some brain-dead breakdowns in the first period. Martin Jones bailed the team out less than five minutes into the game when he stopped a P.A. Parenteau blast and denied Joffrey Lupul in front of the net shortly after.
Jones made 28 saves.
Toronto outshot the Sharks in the first period, 12-7, despite San Jose getting a pair of power play opportunities.
The Sharks finished their homestand with a 2-3 mark, while Toronto went 1-2 on a three-game swing through California.
Special teams
Neither team scored on the power play, as the Sharks were 0-for-3 and Toronto 0-for-2.
San Jose has three shorthanded goals on the season, two by Nieto.
In goal
Jones registered his fourth shutout and second at home, improving to 17-13-2 on the year. He blanked the Anaheim Ducks in his Sharks debut at SAP Center on Oct. 10.
Bernier stayed in for the duration, despite allowing seven goals on 31 shots.
Lineup
Chris Tierney returned from a brief two-game assignment to the Barracuda. He replaced Dainius Zubrus, who is out with an upper body injury.
Up next
The Sharks visit Calgary on Monday and Winnipeg on Tuesday in a back-to-back on the road. They are 1-1 against the Flames, winning at home on Nov. 28 but dropping a 4-2 decision on Dec. 8.
A three-game homestand opens with Todd McLellan and the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 14 as the former head coach visits San Jose for the first time since he was fired in the offseason.
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