COLUMBUS, Ohio _ Mikkel Boedker and Joel Ward both scored first-period goals and Patrick Marleau added an empty-netter with 33 seconds left that turned out to be the winner as the Sharks survived a late push from the Columbus Blue Jackets to earn a 3-2 win at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.
Goalie Martin Jones made 14 saves in the first two periods and 14 more in the third as the Sharks opened their five-game road trip against Eastern Conference teams on a positive note.
Perhaps Jones' best save in the third period was his most fortunate. With the Blue Jackets on a 2-on-1 and trailing 2-1, Matt Calvert's attempted pass went off Brent Burns' stick and through Jones' pads. Jones, though, kicked it wide with his skate as he sat on his knees.
The Sharks, who were an NHL-best 28-10-3 on the road last season, continue the road trip next week in New York with games against the Rangers on Monday and the Islanders on Tuesday. They finish the trip with games Oct. 20 in Pittsburgh and Oct. 22 in Detroit.
The first two Sharks goals came at even strength.
The Sharks took the lead 10:38 into the game. Boedker collected a rebound off Logan Couture's shot from the side wall and his snap shot got through Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal in a San Jose uniform.
With 5:04 to go in the first, Burns collected a puck that Chris Tierney rang around the boards behind Bobrovsky. Burns then one-timed a pass to Ward, who tapped it past Bobrovsky from just outside the crease for a two-goal lead.
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