Martin Jones, Sharks continue to frustrate Kings with shutout win

Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist, Martin Jones made 30 saves for his first shutout of the season, and the San Jose Sharks defeated the Kings 3-0 on Friday night at Staples Center.

Timo Meier and Rudolfs Balcers also scored for the Sharks (16-16-4), who have won three straight and five of seven. Jones got his 25th career shutout and first since Feb. 29, 2020, against Pittsburgh.

Cal Petersen made 33 saves for the Kings (14-15-6), who have lost four of five.

The Sharks scored the opening goal against the Kings for the third consecutive game, going up 1-0 at 2:57 of the first when Hertl redirected a shot by Nikolai Knyzhov from the blue line. It was Hertl’s fourth goal through five games of the season series, giving him eight in 29 career games between the California rivals.

Meier extended the Sharks’ lead to 2-0 with 11 minutes to play in the second, burying a one-timer from the left circle off Hertl’s pass below the goal line. The Kings challenged for goaltender interference, arguing that Balcers had pushed Drew Doughty into Petersen, but the contact was determined to have happened before the goal.

Balcers added an empty-netter with 26.5 remaining.

Kings goalie Cal Petersen stops a shot with the Sharks’ Tomas Hertl nearby. Petersen had 33 saves for the Kings, who have lost four of five games.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Jones continued to dominate against the Kings, where he started his career in 2013. He is 4-1 against them this season and 17-5-3 since joining the Sharks in 2015, showing his comfort by making consecutive pad saves against Adrian Kempe midway through the first.

San Jose has scored first in all four of their wins against Los Angeles, continuing the Kings’ troubling trend of falling behind. They have allowed the opening goal in 22 of 35 games this season, and a record of 3-13-6 in such games is a major reason why the Kings have work to do in their aim of returning to the playoffs.

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Highlights from the Kings’ 3-0 loss to the visiting San Jose Sharks on Friday night.

The game finished with one referee after Pierre Lambert was helped to the dressing room midway through the second period. Lambert had been hit by an errant puck earlier in the period.

The Sharks and Kings will play again at Staples Center on Saturday.