By Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: The San Jose Sharks Tomas Hertl skates past the Columbus Blue Jackets bench after scoring a third period goal his second of the contest on Thursday night at SAP Center

The San Jose Sharks continued their winning ways at home Thursday night, topping the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 for a third home win in as many tries this season. Tomas Hertl scored two goals, Joonas Donskoi netted his first and David Schlemko picked up two assists in the win. Martin Jones made 24 saves. San Jose was a perfect two-for-two on the power play.

Donskoi beat Blue Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky 12:59 into the first, taking Schlemko’s cross-ice pass in the slot and roofing it over the goalie’s glove. The Sharks wouldn’t score again until the third period, but that doesn’t mean the contest wasn’t without its intrigue.

With 2:42 remaining in the second period, the lights at the SAP Center went out. The officials decided to call the period early, head to intermission and play the final 2:42 out before switching ends of the ice to start the third.

The start of the third also brought a delay with Brendan Dillon seemingly scoring his first goal of the year just over six minutes into the period. After a challenge and lengthy review, the play was ruled offsides and the goal nullified. The Sharks would ultimately get the goal back, with Hertl netting a power play strike at the 12:05 mark. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Schlemko assisted on the goal.

Columbus answered back after a mishap by the Sharks trying to exit the zone. Scott Hartnell beat Jones for his sixth goal of the year at the 17:10 mark. Hertl would score the empty netter with .8 seconds left for his 2^nd goal of the game and 4^th of the year.

The Sharks face the Nashville Predators in a rematch of last year’s second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The contest will be Saturday night, with the Sharks looking to pick up a fourth straight win at home.