WASHINGTON _ Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns both scored even strength goals in the second period as the Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-0 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.
Martin Jones made 24 saves, including 14 in the first two periods, for his first shutout of the season and his second straight at Verizon Center. Jones also shut out the Capitals last season in October, making 31 saves.
Joe Thornton added an empty net goal with 1:32 left in the third period, as the Sharks earned their fourth win in their last five games against the Capitals and began their six-game road trip on a positive note.
Vlasic's goal, his second of the season, came with 7:37 left in the second period. His shot from inside the blue line grazed off Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner and redirected past goalie Braden Holtby for his first goal since Oct. 25 against Anaheim.
Burns gave the Sharks a 2-0 lead 5:03 later. He took a pass from Logan Couture, took a stride toward the goal and fired a wrist shot that found the top corner on the short side.
The Sharks killed three penalties in the game, including third period calls on Brenden Dillon and Kevin Labanc, for holding and tripping, respectively. They have now killed 21 straight penalties over the last eight games.
The Sharks were looking for a more-detailed game on defense after they had allowed 11 goals in losses to Arizona, Calgary and Pittsburgh last week. They continue their road trip with games this week against Florida on Thursday and Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Labanc, making his NHL debut, got a shot on goal on his second shift as he was on a line with Couture and Joonas Donskoi.
Labanc, 20, was called up from the American League on Monday after he had 10 points in six games with the Barracuda. He made a push for a roster spot with the Sharks during training camp with four points in five preseason games. He was assigned to the AHL on Oct. 11, and responded with seven points in his first four games.
"He's excited, and we're excited to get a look at him," Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said Tuesday morning. "He's earned the right to be here. He's gone down there and after a great camp he's followed it up with a great start and deserves a chance to get up here and play."
Labanc impressed the Sharks with his ability to possess the puck and his overall skill set in the offensive zone, which helped him become the Ontario Hockey League's 2015-16 scoring champion with 39 goals and 88 assists in 65 games with the Barrie Colts.
"It's his first game. I just want to see him get out there and not think too much and play," DeBoer said. "He's got great offensive instincts. He's a puck hound. If he's doing those things, if he's on the puck and working hard, that's all I'm really looking for tonight."
Labanc, listed at 5-foot-10 and 185 points, is a native of Staten Island, N.Y. and had a handful of relatives, including his father, coming to watch him play Tuesday.
"I believe they're actually taking the bus," Labanc said. "It'll be nice to see them and play in front of them."
Labanc is the second Sharks player to make his NHL debut this season, after goalie Aaron Dell won his first start, 3-2, over the New York Islanders on Oct. 18.
