Nick Paul scores twice, Senators beat Sharks 5-2

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OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Nick Paul is doing his best to stick in the NHL

Paul had two goals and an assist for his first multipoint game in the league in the Ottawa Senators' 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night.

"This is what I've been working for," Paul said. "This is what I've been doing all summer, what I've been picturing so it's nice to finally go that way and get some confidence."

Recalled from Belleville of the AHL on Oct. 14, Paul has played 61 games over five seasons with Ottawa.

"He works, he works in practice, he's been humbled and been through waivers a bunch of times so it's hard not to pull for a guy like that," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "e's doing everything he can to stay in the league, so certainly he's been good for us."

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists, Connor Brown and Anthony Duclair also scored and Craig Anderson stopped 34 shots.

Evander Kane and Kevin Labanc scored for the Sharks. They are 1-2-1 on a five-game trip that ends Tuesday night in Boston.

"We're 12 games in and there's a handful of key guys for us that haven't played well yet," Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. "That's on me to get them back to the level they need to be at."

Aaron Dell allowed four goals on 22 shots and was replaced by Martin Jones for the third period. Jones allowed one goal on eight shots.

Erik Karlsson's return lacked the fanfare from last season when he went to Ottawa for the first time since being traded to the Sharks. Karlsson was minus-3 on Sunday.

"As a team and as individuals I don't think that anyone is really pleased with the way we played," Karlsson said. "It's not a representation of this organization and this team and it's definitely not one of the better ones that we've had and not what we needed right now.

"It's moments like this that we have to stay true to ourselves and believe in ourselves and know who we are as individuals and as a team and find a way to pull through."

NOTES: Bobby Ryan was a healthy scratch for the Senators, with coach D.J. Smith pointing to the 32-year-old's lack of production. The highest-paid player on the Ottawa roster, Ryan has a goal and three assists through 10 games. ... Mikkel Boedker and Cody Goloubef also were healthy scratches for the Senators. Jonny Brodzinski, Lukas Radil and Trevor Carrick were healthy scratches for the Sharks.

UP NEXT

Sharks: At Boston on Tuesday night.

Senators: At Boston on Saturday night.