SAN JOSE — Nick Bonino scored for the fourth straight game, and the San Jose Sharks held off the Arizona Coyotes in a 3-2 win at SAP Center on Tuesday.
“I think we’ve deserved more than we’ve had this year,” Bonino said. “[Arizona] hung on a little bit at the end and they kept coming and coming, but it’s nice to get the win and it’s nice to contribute.”
Bonino, who also had an assist, extended the Sharks’ lead to 2-0 at 4:52 of the first period when he scored on a rebound. Erik Karlsson‘s shot. His four-game goal streak is an NHL career high.
He did not have a goal in his first 24 games this season.
“I’m really happy for him, he’s such a pro,” San Jose coach David Quinn said. “I’m just really happy for him. He’s playing really good hockey, and it’s nice to see him get rewarded statistically.”
Video: ARI@SJS: Bonino scores in 1st period
Scott Harrington had two assists, and James Reimer made 20 saves for the Sharks (10-16-5) in his return from a lower-body injury. It was first start since Nov. 25.
“Obviously when you haven’t played in a while, sometimes the game feels fast,” Reimer said. “Sometimes you’re trying to break in a bit, but I felt pretty good.”
Lawson Crouse and Nick Bjugstad scored, and Karel Vejmelka made 30 saves for the Coyotes (9-14-4).
“I think the first two periods, we needed to grind the game tonight,” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “We needed to sprint for it. We needed to win more battles, [but] we didn’t. So, give a lot of credit to the Sharks; they played hard. They’re creating more offense lately.”
Thomas Hertl gave San Jose a 1-0 lead at 3:50 of the first when he redirected Radim Simek‘s shot from the point.
Video: ARI@SJS: Hertl tips the opening goal in the 1st
Crouse cut it to 2-1 at 18:05 during a 5-on-3 power play after a pass from Clayton Keller. It was Crouse’s third goal in three games.
Nico Sturm made it 3-1 at 8:09 of the second period when he scored on a rebound of Harrington’s attempt.
“I thought we did a really good job of building off what we did in Anaheim [last week],” Quinn said. “We’ve touched on the fact that puck management and our turnovers have really cost us, and I thought over the last two games we’ve really done a much better job. [of] managing the game and making it harder on our opponent.”
Bjugstad scored at 2:56 of the third period for the 3-2 final.
“I thought we were a little lackadaisical as an entire unit; it’s tough when you start off like that,” Bjugstad said. “That third period, we made a push, [but it was too] little, too late. But if we can find ways to have better starts and keep rolling with it, it makes it easier on [Vejmelka]. He’s kept us in it for a lot of these games. We definitely have to clean up those starts.”
NOTES: The Coyotes went 1-for-5 on the power play. … Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov missed the game because of a lower-body injury. … San Jose forward Luke Kunin In the left first with a lower-body injury. Quinn did not have an update.
.