SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Martin Jones earned his 100th career win against his former-team as the San Jose Sharks put together their best performance sans top scorer Logan Couture in a win over their division rival.
The Sharks (19-11-4) limped into the NHL's three-day Christmas break Saturday clinging to third place in the Pacific Division, picking up a key 2-0 win over the first-place Los Angeles Kings at SAP Center.
In doing so, Jones reached the 100-win milestone by winning a goaltender's duel against his former mentor, Jonathan Quick, who he backed up for two seasons with the Kings before becoming the Sharks No. 1 goalie in 2015-16.
The 27-year-old netminder also earned his first-career Stanley Cup playoff series win against Quick and the Kings two seasons ago. Jones is 8-3-2 against his former-squad in his career.
Jones, who had surrendered four or more goals in six consecutive starts, made 28 saves en route to his third shutout of the season. He made six saves on a Kings power play in the first, stopped Alex Iafallo on the rush with his left arm in the second and got across the crease to stop an Alex Martinez one-timer in the third.
The Sharks' fourth line redeemed itself after getting benched for the third period twice this week, breaking a scoreless tie at 10:01 of the second.
Marcus Sorensen scored his third goal in four games, dancing through the Kings defense and slipping in a backhander after Kings defenders Andy Andreoff and Torrey Mitchell collided in the defensive zone. Dylan DeMelo and Mikkel Boedker picked up assists on the play.
Joe Pavelski added an insurance goal at 7:35 of the third, scoring his eighth by redirecting a Brent Burns point shot off a faceoff play with the man advantage. Pavelski's goal marked the eighth consecutive game in which the Sharks' power play, which went 1 for 5, has found the net. The power play goal came against the Kings' top-ranked penalty kill.
The Sharks shut the door on the Kings in the third period, improving to 13-0 when leading after two periods. In the process, the Sharks also moved to 2-1 without Couture, who is sidelined by a concussion suffered on Dec. 15.
The Sharks had surrendered nine goals against in their two previous games without their top-defensive forward.
_ According to the Sharks training staff, Couture responded well to his skate Friday, the first since he suffered a concussion on Dec. 15.
"I talked to (head athletic trainer) Ray Tufts today, all positive reports," DeBoer said. "He's progressing nicely."
