Kahkonen makes 44 saves, Sharks cruise past Blues to end 3-game skid

SAN JOSE -- Kaapo Kahkonen made 44 saves, and the San Jose Sharks scored four goals in the second period in a 5-1 win against the St. Louis Blues at SAP Center on Thursday.

It was Kahkonen’s first win of the season in six starts (1-5-0).

"Winning is always great, you can never get tired of that feeling," Kahkonen said. "Just a great overall [job] by all the guys. We came in hot and started off really well."

Mike Hoffman scored twice, and Givani Smith and Luke Kunin each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (3-13-1) who ended a three-game skid. Filip Zadina, Ryan Carpenter and Nikita Okhotiuk each had two assists.

"We've kind of been trending in this direction," San Jose coach David Quinn said. "It just feels good to come out and play the game the way we did, and start the game the way we did. I thought we set the pace and the tempo."

Pavel Buchnevich scored for the Blues (8-6-1), who had won three straight. Joel Hofer allowed four goals on 21 shots before being replaced by Jordan Binnington at 3:25 of the second period. Binnington stopped 13 of 14 shots faced in relief.

"We're all disappointed," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "Coming in here, having a chance to keep building and gain points in the standings, and it didn't happen. It didn't happen. We weren't good enough."

Hoffman gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 2:02 of the first period when Nico Sturm set him up with a cross-ice pass in front of the net.

The Sharks scored three goals over the first 3:25 of the second period to push the lead to 4-0.

William Eklund made it 2-0 just 17 seconds into the second when he redirected a shot by Okhotiuk before Smith extended it to 3-0 at 2:39 on an assist from Kunin.

It was Smith's first goal since signing a two-year contract with San Jose on July 1.

"Long time coming, and to score tonight feels really good," Smith said.

Kunin made it 4-0 at 3:25 with a wrist shot from one knee. Binnington then entered in relief for St. Louis.

"The first 10 minutes of the first two periods cost us the hockey game," Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. "We didn't come out intense enough in the first period. Then in the second period, in the first 10 minutes, the compete level wasn't high enough.

“The battle level wasn't high enough and all of a sudden it was 4-0 before you know it. Tough to come back in a league like this, no matter who you're playing."

Hoffman's second goal pushed it to 5-0 at 13:45 when he scored on a breakaway.

Buchnevich scored on a wrist shot at 13:55 of the third period for the 5-1 final.

NOTES: Kahkonen posted 40-plus saves in a win for just the third time in his career (44 on Dec. 3, 2019, at the Florida Panthers; 40 on Jan. 30, 2022, at the New York Islanders). … San Jose’s three goals in the opening 3:25 of the second period were the fourth-fastest three to open a period in franchise history. The only faster instances occurred Feb. 26, 1992 (2:38 in the second against the Quebec Nordiques), Nov. 22, 2006 (2:57 in the second against the Los Angeles Kings) and Nov. 28, 1992 (2:59 in the second against the Minnesota North Stars). ... Smith became the 300th player in franchise history to score a goal for the Sharks. … Blues center Robert Thomas has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in an eight-game point streak.