Erik Karlsson's 3-point effort boosts Sharks over Caps

Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for the visiting San Jose Sharks in a 4-1 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon.

Karlsson has 73 points (18 goals, 55 assists) in 54 games, keeping him on pace to become the sixth NHL defenseman to score at least 100 points in a season.

Tomas Hertl and Alexander Barabanov each had a goal and an assist and Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 12 of 13 shots for the Sharks before leaving with an upper-body injury late in the second period. Aaron Dell replaced him and stopped all eight shots.

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored and Charlie Lindgren made 29 saves for the Capitals, who were coming off a 2-1 win at the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon, becoming just the second team to win in regulation at TD Garden this season.

The Sharks scored on their first shot of the game after forcing a turnover in the neutral zone.

Jonah Gadjovich made a quick pass ahead to Evgeny Svechnikov at the Washington blue line. Svechnikov skated into the left circle and beat Lindgren with a wrist shot on the short side for a 1-0 lead at 2:54 of the first period.

The Sharks made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 9:04 of the second period.

Karlsson made a pass to Hertl at the inside edge of the left circle and he redirected the puck toward the Washington net. The shot was blocked in front by Trevor van Riemsdyk, but Barabanov scored the rebound.

Kuznetsov cut to the net and scored at 16:56 of the second period to trim the lead to 2-1.

Kuznetsov made contact with the head of Kahkonen, who stayed down on the play and was eventually replaced by Dell, who was recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League on Saturday because James Reimer was ill.

Karlsson made it 3-1 at 12:55 of the third period when he flicked the puck toward the net from off the wall and above the right circle and it fluttered over the shoulder of Lindgren.

Hertl scored into an empty net with 2:11 left for a 4-1 lead.

--Field Level Media

1/3: Feb 12, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Conor Sheary (73) dives for a loose puck in fronton of San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) and Sharks defenseman Matt Benning (5) in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

2/3: Feb 12, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) and San Jose Sharks center Nico Sturm (7) battle for the puck in front of Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen (36) in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

3/3: Feb 12, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) skates with the puck as San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) defends in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports