EditorsNote: Rewords penultimate graf on play-by-play for Hertl goal, other minor edits
Tomas Hertl netted one goal and one assist while Logan Couture collected two assists to lead the host San Jose Sharks to a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Sunday.
Martin Jones made 32 saves for the Sharks, who won a second straight game.
Despite the visitors holding the early momentum, San Jose's Timo Meier opened the scoring 3:04 into the affair, converting on the first shot on goal against Flames goalie Cam Talbot. Couture fired the puck to the front of the net from the corner and the puck banked off Meier's skate and past Talbot for Meier's first goal of the season.
Patrick Marleau, playing his first game in San Jose after rejoining the Sharks following two seasons away, also collected an assist.
It's the first time this season the Sharks opened the scoring.
Kevin Labanc doubled the San Jose lead just past the midway point of the opening frame. Labanc completed a give-and-go with Hertl just inside the Calgary blue line, worked down the right wing and from near the right face-off dot snapped a high shot.
The Flames were the better team for much of the game and finally were rewarded 6:43 into the second period when Elias Lindholm put them on the board with his third goal of the season. After winning the faceoff in San Jose territory, Lindholm deflected TJ Brodie's point shot.
However, Hertl restored his team's two-goal edge with less than two minutes left in the middle frame. While the Flames had a power play, Matthew Tkachuk committed a costly giveaway at the offensive blue line that sent Couture on a rush. Couture waited for Hertl to join him and fed the pass to Hertl, who one-timed a shot for his first goal of the season.
Talbot, who signed with Calgary in the summer as a free agent, made 17 saves for the Flames, who lost games on two consecutive nights to end a disappointing three-game road trip.
--Field Level Media
