ST. PAUL, Minn. _ Apparently, the home cooking also makes for a pretty-good meal on the road with the right recipe.
After completing a perfect four-game homestand at SAP Center on Saturday, the Sharks extended their winning streak to five games on Tuesday, earning a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. The Sharks kept the streak going by following the formula that worked on last week's homestand: tight-team defense, solid goaltending and timely offense.
With the win, the Sharks leapfrogged the Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division standings, moving back into first place in the Western Conference.
The winning streak is even more impressive considering that the Sharks are now 5-0 without Erik Karlsson, who's sidelined by a groin injury, and Evander Kane, who left the team last week for "personal reasons." Neither player traveled with the Sharks for their two-game road trip through Minnesota and Winnipeg. At this point, the Sharks aren't setting timetables for Karlsson or Kane's return to the lineup.
Barclay Goodrow broke a scoreless tie at 14:06 of the second when a Marc-Edouard Vlasic shot from the left point bounced in off his midsection. The goal was Goodrow's first his 35 games. He last found the back of the net on Dec. 16.
Tomas Hertl added to the lead at 4:37 of the third, using a nifty-deke move to complete a give-and-go play with Timo Meier. Gus Nyquist also snagged an assist on the play. Logan Couture made it 3-0 at 10:01 of the final stanza, converting a penalty shot by going five hole after defenseman Anthony Bitetto slashed his arm on a breakaway.
Martin Jones took care of business in the blue paint, pitching his third shutout of the season by making 24 saves. Coincidentally, Jones recorded his first shutout in Minnesota, as well, making 26 stops in a win on Dec. 18.
Jones' best save came in the middle of the first when he dove across the crease to get a piece of Eric Fehr's shot attempt into an open net.
The Sharks will square off against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, wrapping up their road trip before returning home for a three-game homestand at SAP Center.
