CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Evander Kane continued his mastery of the Calgary Flames with another big performance for the San Jose Sharks.
Kane scored twice and added an assist in the Sharks’ 5-2 victory Thursday night.
Kane has nine goals and 13 points in five games against the Flames since being acquired from Buffalo in a trade last February.
“We’re in the same division, they’re a top team,” said Kane, who had a game-high eight shots and was plus-3. “You’d like to think we rise to the occasion as a group and I thought we did that tonight. Those points are so valuable. It’s a four-point game against a team we’re chasing.”
Four consecutive wins move the Sharks to within two points of Calgary for top spot in the division.
Tomas Hertl also scored twice, and Brent Burns added a goal, and Martin Jones made 36 saves.
Jones was at his best in third period, turning aside all 12 shots he faced including diving across the crease to get the paddle of his stick on a shot from Johnny Gaudreau.
“Their power play looked really, really dangerous,” San Jose captain Joe Thornton said, “and he probably made six or seven quality saves that probably saved us the game.”
Mark Jankowski and TJ Brodie scored for Calgary. The Flames lost at home in regulation for the first time in nine games.
Mike Smith took the loss after stopping 16 in relief after David Rittich was pulled in the first period.
After Calgary opened the scoring on Jankowski’s goal at 4:36 of the first period, the Sharks scored on three straight shots in a 1:25 span.
Kane tied it at 12:39 when he spun and sent a shot on net that dribbled through Rittich’s pads. Rittich then raced to a loose puck, but fired it straight into Burns, who skated in by himself and slid it into the vacated net. That was the end of the night for Rittich after allowing two goals on six shots.
“He didn’t look comfortable,” Flames coach Bill Peters said. “I didn’t like either goal.”
It didn’t start off any better for Smith, who was beaten by Hertl on a deflection 22 seconds after entering the game.
Calgary turned on the pressure for much of the third period, but couldn’t get any closer despite several great chances.
“You’ve got to bear down,” said Calgary’s Sean Monahan, who finished a game-worst minus-3. “It’s the NHL and it’s not easy to score goals. When you get your chances, you’ve got to be ready and put the puck in the back of the net or if not, it’s going to come back to bite you.”
NOTES: Thornton had an assist for his 1,000th point with the Sharks. With 1,047 career assists, he moved within two of Gordie Howe for ninth on the NHL list. … Calgary fell to 24-4-1 when scoring first.
UP NEXT
Sharks: At Edmonton on Saturday night.
Flames: At Vancouver on Saturday night.
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