On a holiday that celebrates one African American pioneer, a player who chose his number to honor another trail blazer got the Sharks rolling Monday in a 5-2 victory over the youthful Winnipeg Jets, San Jose's first win in three games.
Joel Ward, Timi Meier, Brent Burns, Chris Tierney and Joe Thornton each scored for the Sharks in the Martin Luther King Day matinee at the SAP Center.
Ward, who wears No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson, scored the first goal to break a 115-minute Sharks scoring drought.