When his long-delayed opportunity finally arrived Thursday night, Kane did everything he ever thought he could.
Kane scored two goals in his first career playoff game and Martin Jones made 25 saves as the San Jose Sharks beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 in their first-round series opener.
The game was a remarkable breakthrough for Kane, who joined the Sharks in a trade six weeks ago and reached the NHL postseason for the first time after 574 regular-season games and far too many early summers in Atlanta, Winnipeg and Buffalo.
Now 26 years old and tired of waiting, Kane has played ferociously since he landed in San Jose, contributing 14 points in 17 games down the stretch before his playoff outburst.
”It was nice to finally get out in the playoff atmosphere, and it was fun to finally get my first playoff win,” Kane said. ”It’s nice to contribute. That’s my job. I feel confident in my abilities. I don’t think it was my best game, but I’m never going to be mad when we get a playoff win and I get to contribute.”
Game 2 is Saturday night at Honda Center.
After a scoreless first period, Kane capitalized when two Anaheim penalties in 15 seconds left the Sharks with a two-man advantage. No Ducks were anywhere near Kane when he settled in the slot and scored on a one-timer from captain Joe Pavelski.
Kane did it again with Pavelski’s help less than seven minutes later, sliding the puck past goalie John Gibson on a 2-on-1 break and crashing headfirst into the post immediately afterward. The rout was on 84 seconds later when Brent Burns slipped a long shot through traffic for his 13th career playoff goal.
”(Kane) is a world-class player,” San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. ”I think Buffalo was a tough situation for everybody, and when he got the opportunity to get into our room and play with Burns and Pavelski, he was re-energized. That’s what you’re seeing: A guy who got his passion back and came to the rink excited.”
According to the NHL, Kane became the fourth player in the last 20 years to score multiple goals in his playoff debut, joining Alexander Radulov (2007), Mike Green (2008) and Gabriel Bourque (2012).
With Kane leading the way, the Sharks easily took early control in the series between California rivals. San Jose and Anaheim have been regular playoff teams for the past 15 years, yet are meeting in the postseason for only the second time.
Gibson stopped 30 shots for the Ducks, who lost a series opener at home in their third consecutive playoff series. Anaheim had won seven straight home games down the stretch, losing in regulation at home just once in 17 games since late January.
”You can’t afford to take seven minor (penalties) and give the opposition an opportunity to practice their power play,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. ”It takes any momentum that you had building in the game. It flips everything in their favor.”
Jones capably handled the Ducks’ infrequent scoring opportunities to earn his fifth career playoff shutout. Anaheim fans threw scattered boos at their team during the third period, particularly when the Ducks struggled to get the puck up the ice.
The Ducks promptly gave away the home-ice advantage they had claimed with a frantic late-season rally past San Jose into second place in the Pacific Division. Anaheim won its final five regular-season games to finish with 101 points, while the Sharks lost five of their last six and ended up with 100.
”I can count probably on one hand how many good shifts that we had the whole game Christian McCaffrey Jersey ,” Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin said. ”We have to be a lot better than that.”
At least slow playoff starts are typical for these Ducks, who have lost Game 1 at home in four of their last five playoff series over the past three seasons. Anaheim still has appeared in two of the past three Western Conference finals.
San Jose and Anaheim haven’t faced off in the postseason since 2009, when the eighth-seeded Ducks stunned the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Sharks in six games in the first round. Three players on each roster are still around for the rematch, including captains Ryan Getzlaf and Pavelski.
NOTES: Cam Fowler missed the opener with an upper-body injury, and the Ducks’ top defenseman doesn’t appear to be close to returning. The club has said Fowler’s injury could keep him out for several more weeks. … Sharks C Joe Thornton skated in pregame warmups, but didn’t play in what would have been his first game since Jan. 25. The 38-year-old veteran has a right knee injury, but hopes to return soon. … Ducks D Kevin Bieksa also didn’t play, but is likely available after missing the last month due to surgery on his left hand.
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Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sinking New York Mets 5-2 on Friday night behind Alex Wood’s effective pitching.
Yasiel Puig added a solo home run in the ninth, and the defending NL champions won their 10th straight against the Mets dating to May 2016. Los Angeles has outscored New York 75-20 in those games, winning each of the past eight by at least three runs – a first in Dodgers history against any opponent, according to STATS.
Wood (3-5) outdueled Zack Wheeler (2-6), allowing two runs and six hits in six innings to win his second consecutive start. The left-hander with the funky delivery struck out seven and walked one.
Kenley Jansen fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 19th save.
New York wasted a dazzling catch by center fielder Michael Conforto that saved a run in the third. After starting the season 11-1, the Mets lost for the 21st time in 27 games to fall a season-worst 11 games under .500.
RED SOX 14, MARINERS 10
BOSTON (AP) – J.D. Martinez homered and drove in five, and Boston rallied from a five-run deficit to beat Seattle despite a monster game from Nelson Cruz.
Cruz had a pair of three-run homers and drove in seven, but the Mariners still lost their season-worst fifth straight game, including three earlier this week at Yankee Stadium. Seattle led 4-0 and 10-5 before a wild Red Sox rally fueled by RBIs from eight different players.
Martinez went 4 for 5, including a two-run homer in the sixth and two doubles.
Reliever Matt Barnes (1-2) got the win with one scoreless inning. Juan Nicasio (1-4) took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits in one-third of a lousy seventh inning.
The only flaw to the second half of the game for Boston: shortstop Xander Bogaerts left in the seventh with a sprained index finger on his left hand.
ORIOLES 10, BRAVES 7, 15 INNINGS
ATLANTA (AP) – Manny Machado hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the 15th inning after each team staged dramatic ninth-inning rallies.
The Braves surrendered six runs in the ninth, and then scored four times in the bottom of the inning.
Peter Moylan, Atlanta’s eighth pitcher, hit Craig Gentry to open the 15th. Gentry moved to second on Austin Wynns‘ sacrifice.
With first base open Authentic Braden Smith Jersey , the Braves pitched to Machado and the slugger lined his 19th homer into the Orioles‘ bullpen. Moylan (0-1) gave up another run on singles by Colby Rasmus and Jonathan Schoop.
Mike Wright Jr. (1-0), Baltimore’s seventh pitcher, threw two scoreless innings.
REDS 6, CUBS 3
CINCINNATI (AP) – Eugenio Suarez hit a go-ahead homer off Jose Quintana in the fifth inning, and Cincinnati held on for its fifth straight victory.
The Reds have won the first two games in the series, a recent rarity in the rivalry. It’s only the second time in the last two years that they’ve won back-to-back games in a series against the Cubs. Chicago is 43-21 against Cincinnati over the last four seasons.
Suarez’s two-run shot in the fifth inning off Quintana (6-6) gave him a team-high 16 homers and put the Reds ahead 4-3.
Javier Baez drove in a run with a bunt single off Luis Castillo (5-8), and Kyle Schwarber followed with a two-run homer, his third in four games. Castillo went 5 2/3 innings for his first victory since May 24, ending a streak of four straight losses.
Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.
BREWERS 2, CARDINALS 1
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Jesus Aguilar homered to break up rookie Jack Flaherty’s no-hit bid in the seventh inning, then homered again in the ninth to lift Milwaukee over St. Louis.
Both teams got just three hits. The benches and bullpens briefly cleared in the eighth after Eric Sogard slid into St. Louis shortstop Yairo Munoz, who caught a wide throw on a bunt play in the eighth.
Cardinals reliever Bud Norris (3-2) started the ninth by striking out Travis Shaw. Aguilar followed with a drive an opposite-field drive to right for his 16th home run.
Corey Knebel (1-0) pitched the ninth for the NL Central leaders.
PHILLIES 12, NATIONALS 2
WASHINGTON (AP) – Odubel Herrera homered for the fifth straight game and finished with four hits, helping Philadelphia rout Washington.
Herrera hit a tiebreaking two-run shot in the third for his 13th homer, matching the club record for consecutive games with a long ball. He has connected in six of his last seven overall.
Herrera is hitting .472 (17 for 36) with six homers, 11 runs and 10 RBIs in his last eight games.
Carlos Santana homered and drove in four runs for Philadelphia, which has won five of six. Santana delivered a two-run single in the first, a two-run homer in the sixth and walked twice.
Zach Eflin (5-2) allowed baserunners in every inning except the first, but limited the damage to two runs over five innings to win his fourth straight start.
Washington’s Tanner Roark (3-8) gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings.
RAYS 2, YANKEES 1
ST. PETERSBURG. Fla. (AP) – Six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a five-hitter, and Tampa Bay beat New York.
Utilizing a bullpen day, the Rays improved to 14-31 against teams with a .500 or better record with the victory over the team with the majors’ best record.
Winner Ryan Yarbrough (6-3) entered in the second and allowed one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Sergio Romo worked the ninth for his fifth save in nine chances.
Willy Adames put the Rays ahead 1-0 with a run-scoring single off CC Sabathia (4-3) in the fourth. Sabathia allowed two runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
ANGELS 2, BLUE JAYS 1
