Jones, Couture help Sharks defeat Rangers

NEW YORK -- Martin Jones made 33 saves and the San Jose Sharks penalty kill went 6-for-6 in a 4-1 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
Jones made 10 saves on the penalty kill. The Sharks' penalty kill is 13-for-13 in three road games this season and 30-for-31 in seven games since allowing three power-play goals against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 4.

"We don't want to take that many penalties, but on the plus side our penalty kill was outstanding again," Jones said. "It's not a habit we want to get into, but our penalty kill was great."
WATCH: [All Sharks vs. Rangers highlights]
San Jose defenseman Tim Heed scored his first NHL goal. Center Logan Couture scored his sixth goal in the past four games and team-leading seventh. He also had an assist on forward Melker Karlsson's goal. Forward Joonas Donskoi added his second goal of the season.
The Sharks (4-4-0) have won three of their past four games.
"You can't come into a building and take six or seven minors and expect to win," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We got fortunate that our goalie was as good as he was tonight and our PK was good. We feel fortunate."
Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers (2-6-2), who had a three-game point streak (1-0-2) end. They are 1-2-2 on their season-long six-game homestand, which ends against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

Goalie Henrik Lundqvist made 20 saves.
New York is 4-for-32 on the power play in its past eight games after going 4-for-9 in its first two games.
"At the end of the night we're going to end up with probably close to 20 scoring chances and all we get is one goal," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "It's not one guy. As a group, we have to be better. We're 10 games in and we're 2-6-2. Everybody in that room has got to be better."
Couture gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead with a slap shot that deflected off Rangers forward Chris Kreider and past Lundqvist at 1:56 of the first period.
The Rangers have allowed the first goal in the first 2:40 of the first period five times. They also allowed the first goal at 5:29 of the first period in their season-opening 4-2 loss against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 5.

"When we're in the position we're in, when we start chasing the game, it's just so much harder," Lundqvist said. "We're trying to come out prepared and it's a nothing play really. It's a shot but it hits our guy and it's in. After that, it's uphill. If we were 5-1 it might've been a little different, but right now we're looking for a good feeling and to start the game chasing, it's not easy."
Heed made it 2-0 at 12:45 of the first period with a shot out of the right corner that banked in off Lundqvist, who blamed himself for losing his focus on the shot.
Donskoi gave the Sharks a 3-0 lead at 19:22 of the second period.
Couture then forced a turnover behind the Rangers' net and set up Karlsson for his second goal of the season at 2:51 of the third period to make it 4-0.
Zibanejad scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season at 4:23 of the third.

Goal of the game

Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk's pass off the rush was behind Zibanejad. Sharks forward Joe Pavelski got to the loose puck, pushed it up to center Joe Thornton, who got around Mats Zuccarello and moved it to Donskoi. He skated unchecked through the left circle and beat Lundqvist with a far side shot.

Save of the game

Rangers center David Desharnais was alone in the slot with the puck on his backhand early in the second period, but Jones stayed with him and covered the bottom of the net. Desharnais tried to tuck it inside the right post with his forehand, but Jones made a glove save at 2:26.

Highlight of the game

Heed scored by carrying the puck below the right circle and shooting it from a tough angle. The puck squeezed through Lundqvist's legs and went in off the back of his right leg. It was the game-winning goal.

They said it

"When [the penalties] are piling up on you it makes them tough, but it really didn't matter how they came, the [penalty] killers went over and executed. The stayed aggressive. They stayed fresh all night and [Jones] made the big saves when he had to." -- Sharks captain Joe Pavelski
"It's the same thing that we keep saying, just keeping it simple, getting in shot lanes, helping [Lundqvist] out. We shoot ourselves in the foot and put ourselves in a hole, and it's been going on for 10 games." -- Rangers forward Rick Nash

Need to know

Couture's assist on Karlsson's goal was the 200th of his NHL career. … Zibanejad's goal ended Jones' shutout streak at 133:46.

What's next

Sharks:At the Boston Bruins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SN360, NESN, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)
Rangers:Host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, FS-A, NHL.TV)