MONTREAL (AP) — Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 28 shots for his first shutout for San Jose and the Sharks beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Tomas Hertl scored twice in the third period, including an empty-netter. Matt Nieto and Logan Couture also scored as the Sharks opened a four-game set against Eastern Conference teams by snapping a three-game losing streak.
Kahkonen, re-signed in the summer after playing 36 games last season for Minnesota and San Jose, had allowed four or more goals in four of his last five games. Filling in for injured starter James Reimer, Kahkonen recorded his first shutout since March 16, 2021.
Jake Allen made 20 saves for Montreal, which was 0 for 6 on the power play against San Jose’s league-leading penalty kill unit.
The Sharks opened the scoring at 1:33 of the first period when winger Alexander Barabanov attempted a wraparound and Nieto zoomed into the crease and tapped the puck in off a rebound.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis challenged the play for offside, but video review confirmed that Barabanov was onside in the lead-up and the goal stood.
In the second, Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak appeared to beat Kahkonen to tie the game, but the goal was called off. The referee indicated that Montreal winger Evgenii Dadonov took an interference penalty on the play when he checked defenseman Nick Cicek in San Jose’s net.
The Canadiens started the third period on a 5-on-3 power play due to a late delay-of-game call, but the Sharks successfully killed the penalty and countered with three goals.
Hertl redirected a Kevin Labanc pass into the back of the net at 2:29 of the third. Just over a minute later, defenseman Matt Benning located Couture with a pass and the Sharks' captain beat Allen on a breakaway to give the Canadiens a 3-0 advantage.
Hertl iced the game at 17:46 of the period by scoring into an empty net.
VLASIC’S 20TH
Sharks defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic played his 20th career game against his hometown Canadiens. With an assist in the win, the Montreal native picked up seven points (one goal, six assists) against the Habs.
UP NEXT
San Jose: At Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Montreal: At Calgary Flames on Thursday in the opener of a four-game trip.
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