LOS ANGELES –- It took just one shot on goal from the Los Angeles Kings to jump ahead of the San Jose Sharks, when Nick Shore redirected a Dustin Brown floater through Martin Jones less than two minutes into first period.
The Sharks took over from there. Big time.
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Joe Pavelski led the Sharks with one goal and two assists, while Jones stopped all of the remaining 19 shots directed his way as San Jose cruised past its biggest rival on opening night at Staples Center, 5-1.
Playing their first game under new coach Pete DeBoer the Sharks won their sixth straight season opener, an NHL high.
The key moment came early in the second period. Leading 2-1 after the first, the Sharks killed off a Brenden Dillon high-sticking minor, but as play continued the Kings buzzed in San Jose’s zone for more than three minutes. When the Sharks were finally able to clear it, Brent Burns whizzed a wrist shot from the point past Jonathan Quick with rookie Joonas Donskoi setting a screen at 6:07 of the middle frame.
Tomas Hertl increased the lead to 4-1 getting a piece of Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s saucer at 8:14 on the power play.
San Jose Sharks
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[WATCH: Did LA Kings' Brown lead with head while hitting Couture?]
The penalty killers preserved that lead until the intermission, fighting off minors to Vlasic and Chris Tierney. They got some help from Jones, who made a spectacular left pad save on his good friend Tyler Toffoli with 28 seconds to go.
Donskoi’s first NHL goal at 3:31 of the third put away any thoughts of a late comeback by the two-time Stanley Cup champions, who missed the playoffs last season.
Already outplaying Los Angeles despite trailing 1-0, Joe Thornton tied the game midway through the first. On a three-on-one rush, he ripped a shot through Jonathan Quick for San Jose’s first goal of the year.
The new captain gave the Sharks the lead for good shortly after, as Joe Pavelski perfectly redirected a Burns offering on the power play at 15:52.
One potentially controversial play occurred in the first period. Trying to hit Logan Couture in the neutral zone, Kings captain Brown appeared to lead with his head in making contact with the bridge of Couture’s nose, mildly bloodying in the San Jose center.
With 3:30 left in the game, Couture plowed into Quick on a shorthanded rush with a little help from Jeff Carter, inciting a rough gathering around the crease.
Couture got involved again shortly after coming out of the box, flipping Lucic over with a check near center ice. The Kings’ newest player went straight after Couture by the Sharks’ bench, hitting him up high and earning a match penalty.
The Kings visit SAP Center on Oct. 22, while the Sharks make their second and final appearance at Staples Center on Dec. 22.
Special teams
The Sharks dominance carried over into special teams, as they scored two power play goals on seven chances and fought off all six Kings advantages. They failed to capitalize on a four-minute power play after a large scrum early in the third period that started with a late hit by Matt Greene on Barclay Goodrow, but it was already a 5-1 game by then.
The penalty killed denied the Kings on a two-man advantage for 1:30 late in the third, with Brown and Couture in the box.
Pavelski picked up right where he left off last season when he finished second in the league in power play goals with 19.
In goal
After a dominant preseason in which he was 3-1 with a 0.76 goals-against average and .970 save percentage, Jones was outstanding in his first regular season appearance in a teal and white sweater.
Ironically, Jones replaced Quick in net after two periods in the season opener for both clubs on Oct. 9, 2014. Quick took the loss, allowing five goals on 32 shots.
Lineup
Vlasic played in his 671st game with San Jose, tying Mike Rathje for the most by a defenseman in franchise history.
The Sharks were without the suspended Raffi Torres, and it remains unclear if Torres is even a part of the club anymore after he was left off of the opening night roster. The Sharks have yet to comment on the much-maligned Torres’ status after his latest dirty hit that earned him a 41-game ban.
Los Angeles’ Dwight King is on injured reserve with a lower body injury.
Up next
The Sharks will open their home schedule on Saturday against the Ducks, then go right back on the road for an East Coast swing to face Washington, New Jersey and both New York teams.
Seven of the team’s first 11 games are away from SAP Center.