SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Newcomer Joel Ward is just trying to fit in with his new team. Judging by Saturday night's three-goal performance, the veteran right winger is doing a good job.

Ward collected his second career hat trick and Martin Jones made 32 saves as the San Jose Sharks broke a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at the SAP Center.

Ward capped his big night with an empty-netter with 56.1 seconds left. Ward's other three-goal game occurred Nov. 1, 2013, against Philadelphia as a member of the Washington Capitals.

"He's got two and we're trying to get it to him," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. "It's nice. We're excited for him."

Pavelski and teammate Tommy Wingels pulled a prank on Ward afterward. The two tossed a dozen or so hats into a media scrum while Ward was answering questions.

"I'm just trying to contribute," said Ward, now the team leader with five early goals. "It's more important to earn the respect of my teammates and linemates. Once I gain that trust from them things will come a little easier."

While San Jose worked its way back into the win column, it marked a tough 48 hours for the Hurricanes. Carolina lost 3-0 in Los Angeles on Friday before facing its rested hosts on Saturday.

"A loss is a loss," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. "We need a little more desperation. I thought we gave up too many odd-man rushes. We were a little loose, poor on some decision-making and lost some one-on-one battles."

The teams scored two goals each during a wide-open second period, leaving the Sharks with a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.

Carolina cashed in on its third power play of the night -- and only for the third time all season -- as defenseman Justin Faulk filled San Jose goalie Martin Jones' five-hole at 3:09, just 29 seconds into defenseman Brenden Dillon's tripping minor.

Pavelski poked a loose puck between the legs of Carolina goalie Eddie Lack at 6:08 for a 3-1 lead. Lack couldn't freeze a puck that took a weird bounce off the end boards on a drive by Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic from the left point.

Lack allowed another bad rebound goal when Wingels followed his own shot to score his first goal of the season at 9:09. That signaled an end to Lack's night. He was replaced by Cam Ward after allowing nine goals on 13 shots.

The Hurricanes scored an odd one of its own at 10:43. Center Riley Nash, appearing in his first game after missing five with a shoulder injury, scored behind the goal line as he ricocheted a shot off the arm of Jones, who tried to poke-check in an attempt to help center Tomas Hertl on defense.

Ward staked the Sharks to a 2-0 lead with career goals No. 100 and 101 inside the first 10 minutes of the first period.

Ward punched home a rebound at 1:21 left by Lack on Hertl's backhand shot. Left winger Patrick Marleau took a swipe but partially fanned and Ward followed to break the scoreless tie.

At 8:32, Ward capped a two-on-one by sliding to the middle of the ice and beating Lack with a wrist shot from 15 feet. Only Carolina defenseman Ryan Murphy was back as rookie partner Noah Hanifin was caught up ice after a turnover. The goal stood after a review to determine if the Sharks were offside.

"It's simple; the guy goes to the net," Wingels said when asked to explain Ward's success. "That's where goals are scored, and that's the right place to be."

The Hurricanes, who outshot the Sharks 7-6, had two power plays that followed. Carolina managed two shots on Jones during each advantage but continued to struggle on the power play without a goal.

"We need to get some confidence going and start scoring some goals," Carolina right winger Kris Versteeg said. "I think we're getting shots on net, but we need a little more traffic."

The game was played in front of the non-sellout crowd of 15,814, the smallest announced home attendance since March 30, 2006. The Sharks have failed to sell out two of their first three home games.

NOTES: D Paul Martin returned to the San Jose lineup on Saturday after missing the previous three games with a lower-body injury sustained during the team's win in New Jersey on Oct. 16. The Sharks lost all three he missed and were outscored 14-4. ... Carolina had won its previous four meetings in San Jose before Saturday. ... Rookie LW Joonas Donskoi (lower body) remained out for a fourth straight game. ... The Sharks recalled LW John McCarthy from American Hockey League affiliate San Jose and assigned LW Micheal Haley to the Barracuda. ... The Hurricanes' season-high, seven-game road trip continues on Tuesday with stop No. 6 in Detroit. ... The Sharks play only once in the next six nights - Thursday against visiting Nashville. ... D Mirco Mueller was San Jose's lone scratch while Carolina's C Andrej Nestrasil, LW Joakim Nordstrom and D Michal Jordan did not dress. ... Rookie D Brett Pesce (third-round pick in 2013) made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes.