SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San Jose Sharks found the perfect way to cap a rough five-game homestand before hitting the road for five games.

Logan Couture had two goals and two assists, Martin Jones made 28 saves, and the Sharks defeated the Montreal Canadiens at SAP Center for the 11th straight time, winning 5-2 Tuesday night.

Joe Pavelski, Tomas Hertl and Joe Thornton also scored for the Sharks (2-3-0).

"It was important," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We needed a win. I think obviously we didn't have the start we wanted. We wanted to get a good start here at home, and for whatever reason, we put ourselves in a spot where we really needed a win tonight to feel good going on the road trip, and we got it done.

"I think we're getting a little better every game."

Jonathan Drouin and Shea Weber scored for Montreal, which hasn't won in San Jose since Nov. 23, 1999, when it defeated the Sharks 3-2 in overtime. The Canadiens (1-4-1) lost their fifth consecutive game overall (0-4-1).

"It's a very poor start from our team, from myself, from a lot of individuals, but who's gonna feel sorry for us?" Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty said. "Tomorrow we play another good team with an opportunity to turn this around, so as upset as we are right now, it doesn't do us any good to feel sorry for ourselves.

"It's a good time to look in the mirror and see what we're made of because a lot of people are probably doubting this team right now, and I know it's only six games into the year and it's very, very frustrating. This is what makes you a stronger player."

Montreal will face the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Wednesday in the second of back-to-back games.

Carey Price made 30 saves for Montreal and fell to 2-7-1 for his career against San Jose.

The Sharks took control in the second period, outscoring Montreal 3-1 to build a 4-2 lead.

Pavelski scored his first goal of the season 53 seconds into the period when Kevin Labanc's shot deflected off him, then Weber, and past Price to put San Jose ahead 2-1.

Hertl made it 3-1 at 8:03 of the second with a power-play goal from in front of the crease. Hertl fumbled Thornton's pass from above the right circle, but the puck bounced off his stick and slid inside the right post.

Montreal cut San Jose's lead to 3-2 when Weber blasted a slap shot past Jones from the left circle for a power-play goal at 10:37.

San Jose regained a two-goal lead at 13:24 of the second period on Couture's power-play goal from left of the crease. Tim Heed sent a shot from the high slot into traffic, and Pavelski kicked the loose puck to Couture, who scored on a wrist shot. The assists went to Pavelski and Heed, who got his first NHL point.

Thornton scored an empty-net goal, his first tally of the season, with 43 seconds remaining.

"I think that's been the biggest thing is finding that energy, playing with that urgency for a whole game and taking that game-to-game without any letup," Jones said. "It's one win. We got to build off this and we got to continue to play with that urgency."

The Sharks went 2-for-7 on the power play, while Montreal went 1-for-6.

"I think there was definitely some lack of discipline," Montreal coach Claude Julien said. "There was also some weak calls. ... There was some slashing ones, probably more laziness on backchecking. You can't slash anymore in this league. Your stick is up a little bit, you're in the penalty box."

Couture gave San Jose a 1-0 lead at 3:50 of the first period with his second goal of the season. Hertl deflected Justin Braun's shot from the right point wide left, and the puck hit the backboards and caromed to Couture on the other side.

Price scrambled to his left, but Couture deftly moved the other way and scored into an open net with a wrist shot from close range.

"We knew that they were a quick team and they had speed up front," Couture said. "We wanted to force them to play defense, use the big bodies that we have up front and cycle low, spend time in their end, and I think we did a pretty good job of that. We drew a lot of penalties. Tonight is difficult when the flow is broken up by a lot of power plays both ways, but for the most part five-on-five I thought we did a good job."

Montreal pulled even 16 seconds later when Drouin scored his second goal of the season, becoming the first Canadien with multiple goals. Artturi Lehkonen sent a pass ahead on the rush to Drouin, who beat Jones from the left circle.

NOTES: D Joe Morrow replaced Jordie Benn in the lineup and made his debut for Canadiens. ... Montreal fourth-line C Torrey Mitchell, a former Shark, returned to the lineup in place of Jacob De La Rose after being a healthy scratch against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. ... Sharks rookie D Joakim Ryan and Tim Heed were in the lineup for the third straight game. ... Montreal D Karl Alzner played his 546th consecutive regular-season game, the fifth-longest active streak in the NHL. ... The Sharks play the Devils in New Jersey on Friday.