SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Evander Kane made an immediate impact in his San Jose debut by assisting on two goals during a four-goal second period and delivering a few big hits that helped the Sharks beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Joe Pavelski had a goal and three assists while centering San Jose's top line with Kane on his left wing. Justin Braun, Timo Meier and Logan Couture also scored in the second to help the Sharks snap a three-game losing streak and remain in sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division. Chris Tierney added an empty-net goal.
Martin Jones allowed a first-period goal by Connor McDavid and a third-period tally by Jesse Puljujarvi but made 24 saves for the win.
The Sharks looked like a different team than the one that stumbled in the final three games of their recent road trip, getting outscored 13-4. General manager Doug Wilson provided a big boost Monday when he dealt two conditional 2019 draft picks and prospect Danny O'Regan to Buffalo for Kane.
Kane, who has never made the playoffs in his nine seasons, leaped at the new opportunity and quickly caught a cross-country flight to join his new team. He got acclimated at the morning skate and moved right onto the top line with Pavelski, his former teammate in Russia during the 2012-13 lockout, and Joonas Donskoi.
That line was San Jose's most dangerous right from the start as Kane had a couple of wraparound attempts in the first period before helping the Sharks get on the scoreboard in the second.
Kane hit Matt Benning in the corner to start the sequence on San Jose's first goal when he sent a shot from the boards that Pavelski redirected past Cam Talbot to tie the game at 1.
Kane, who had just seven points in his final 26 games with the Sabres, added a secondary assist on Braun's goal that gave the Sharks the lead and then got into a scuffle with Benning in front of the net later in the second.
Kane's line then hemmed the Oilers in on the forecheck later in the third, leading to Meier's 16th goal after a line change against a weary defense.
Couture broke it open with his 26th of the season late in the second, ending the Oilers' three-game winning streak.
McDavid got Edmonton off to a fast start with his 13th goal in the past 14 games. Andrej Sekera blocked a shot from Marc-Edouard Vlasic, sending McDavid in on a 2-on-1 that he converted.
NOTES: Talbot made 29 saves. ... Pontus Aberg, acquired last weekend from Nashville, got the assist on Puljujarvi's goal in his debut for Edmonton. ... Pavelski has four goals and five assists in three games vs. Edmonton this season. ... Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the NHL, dropped the ceremonial first puck.
UP NEXT
Oilers: Host the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Sharks: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
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