MONTREAL _ Regardless of where they are in the Pacific Division standings, the Sharks have felt right at home at the Bell Centre in recent years. .
That didn't change Thursday, as goalie Aaron Dell had 34 saves, Evander Kane had two power-play goals and Tomas Hertl had three assists as the Sharks topped the Montreal Canadiens, 4-2.
Kevin Labanc and Melker Karlsson also scored for the Sharks, who are now 1-0-1 on this five-game road trip against Atlantic Division teams that continues Friday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
The Sharks entered the game in eighth and last place in the Pacific Division, one point back of seventh-place Los Angeles and eight back of first-place Edmonton. But they improved to 4-1-1 in their last games have now won six of their last seven in Montreal, including five straight, dating back to 2014.
Kane scored his power-play goals at the 19:05 mark of the first period and the 4:54 mark of the second to give him a team-leading six on the season.
Labanc then added an insurance goal at the 8:08 mark off an assist from Hertl, who had his first three-assist game since Oct. 20, 2018 when he had three in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders.
That was enough offense for Dell, who improved to 2-1-0 on the season in his first start since the Sharks beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-4, on Oct. 10. Dell made 12 saves in the first period and seven of his saves through 40 minutes came with the Sharks on the penalty kill.
One of Dell's 12 saves in the first period came on a shot from on Nick Cousins, who was then able to gather the rebound and score from a sharp angle to put Montreal up 1-0 at the 16:26 mark of the opening period.
The Sharks got that goal back on the power play. Labanc gathered the puck near the corner to the right of goalie Carey Price to create some traffic in front of the net. The puck came out to Logan Couture, who shot toward the net went off Kane's skate and past Price.
Price came into Thursday with a career record of 2-9-1 against the Sharks, whose first three goals came on just 13 shots.
After Friday, the Sharks road trip continues Sunday in Ottawa and wraps up Tuesday in Boston.
