Yegor Sharangovich and Dawson Mercer scored second-period goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 2-1 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon in Newark, N.J.
The clubs went into the first intermission knotted at zeros, but the Devils had already tilted the ice and carried that momentum into the second frame.
The Devils outplayed the Sharks for most of the middle frame before Sharangovich opened the scoring with 6:39 left to play in the period. The winger picked the pocket of Sharks blueliner Marc-Edouard Vlasic in the offensive zone before beating netminder Kappo Kahkonen on the backhand alone. Just over two minutes later, Mercer connected for his second of the season to put the home side up 2-0.
Sharks forward Kevin Labanc replied 32 seconds later, bringing the Sharks within one heading into the final period.
However, it was the middle frame that was the difference in the contest. The Devils outshot the visiting Sharks by a 20-8 margin in the period and 36-22 overall.
After winning their first game of the season in six tries Thursday in New York, the Sharks were unable to carry that momentum into Newark two days later. Kahkonen kept the club in the contest, turning aside 34 of the 36 shots he faced but was hit with the tough-luck loss.
Mackenzie Blackwood was equally as strong for the Devils, turning aside 21 of the 22 shots he faced. Blackwood wasn’t terribly busy as the Sharks were credited with just four high-danger chances for — as per Natural Stat Trick — but made the necessary stops for his third win in four starts this season.
As they did Thursday in New York, the Devils went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen with youngster Alexander Holtz once again serving as the healthy scratch and defenseman Kevin Bahl remaining in the lineup.
–Field Level Media
