National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
San Jose 4, Phoenix 1
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 5, 2013
Where: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
Referees: Tom Kowal, Kyle Rehman
Linesmen: Steve Miller, Pierre Racicot
Attendance: 17562


Sharks 4, Coyotes 1: Tomas Hertl scored twice in his second NHL game as host San Jose cruised past Phoenix.

Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture also tallied, Joe Pavelski and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic notched two assists apiece and Antti Niemi made 22 saves for the Sharks, who went 2-for-4 on the power play after going scoreless on eight opportunities in the season opener.

Blue-liner Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored and Mike Smith turned aside 47 shots for Phoenix, which began a five-game road trip.

Selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Hertl wasted little time getting in the goal column after registering an assist in his NHL debut. Hertl received the puck in the neutral zone and skated between two defenders in the slot before putting a backhander between Smith's pads 46 seconds into the contest.

Hertl doubled the lead at 7:23 of the first period, deflecting defenseman Matt Irwin's shot from the right point past Smith during a power play.

Marleau converted a man-advantage opportunity 5:07 later, beating Smith from the doorstep after receiving a nifty pass from the left side by Vlasic to make it 3-0.

The Coyotes got on the board late in the second period as Ekman-Larsson began a rush from his own zone and beat a screened Niemi with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle. Couture sealed the victory for San Jose by scoring into an empty net in the final minute of the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: At 19 years, 327 days, Hertl is the youngest Shark to score two goals in a game since Marleau on March 17, 1999. Marleau was 19 years and 183 days old when he accomplished the feat. ... Coyotes LW Paul Bissonnette served the second of his three-game suspension for leaving the bench to join a fight during a preseason contest. ... Marleau led all players with eight shots on goal, while Vlasic was the only member of the Sharks without one.

Top Game Performances
 
Phoenix   San Jose
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1 Points Tomas Hertl 2
Oliver Ekman-Larsson 1 Goals Tomas Hertl 2
Zbynek Michalek 1 Assists Joe Pavelski 2
N/A Power Play Goals Tomas Hertl 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Mike Smith .940 Save Percentage Antti Niemi .957
Mike Smith 47 Saves Antti Niemi 22
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Phoenix 23 1 0-1 2-4 8 43
San Jose 51 4 2-4 1-1 2 39
Upcoming Games
  • San Jose will play their next game at home against NY Rangers. The Sharks have a W/L % of 1.000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Phoenix will play their next game on the road against NY Islanders. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .000 after a loss.