SAN JOSE, Calif. - While the San Jose Sharks were checking boxes Saturday night, the Calgary Flames were simply checking out.

Five different skaters scored goals and goalie Martin Jones made 25 saves as the Sharks overwhelmed the Flames 5-2 at the SAP Center.

"We gave up way too much," Calgary defenseman Marc Giordano said. "We lost way too many battles. We got beat in every aspect of the game."

Meanwhile, San Jose wanted to get off to a fast start. Check. The Sharks scored twice in the opening period and built an eventual 4-0 lead before the Flames scored midway through the third.

"When we get off to good starts we have pretty successful games," said Sharks right wing Joel Ward, one of the team's goal-scorers.

San Jose center Tomas Hertl and right wing Tommy Wingels needed to contribute. Check. The two third-line San Jose forwards, who were benched during Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Chicago, responded with a goal apiece - both coming in the opening period.

"It was exactly what we needed, and they were a key part of the game," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "The tone they set, with the forecheck, those first-period goals. We need those guys. Great response game from them."

Wingels broke a scoreless tie 9:03 into the contest with his second goal of the season and first in 15 games. He added an assist, was a plus-1 while skating for just three seconds under 15 minutes.

"You've got to find a way to bounce back and respond after a situation like that," Wingels said of his benching. "Our line found a way early. When you find your legs and score early it propels you the rest of the way."

Hertl snapped an even longer drought - 19 games without a goal - when he found the back of the net at 12:36 at even strength for his third of the season. Like his linemate, Hertl added an assist, was a plus-1 and won six of 11 draws over 15:26 of ice time that also featured him getting involved physically.

"The first period was unbelievable," Hertl said. "We played so good. We played all three zones, and had so many chances. I was frustrated. Hopefully now more goals will come."

"Now we've shown ourselves and our teammates what kind of team we can be so we need to continue to play that way," Wingels added.

The San Jose power play needed to come alive at home. Check.

The Sharks didn't score their first power-play goal at home until their ninth game on Wednesday, and were still 30th in the league at 1-for-26 on home ice with the man advantage. They took a major step in rectifying that shortcoming on Saturday by going 2-for-2 - the first a 5-on-3 goal by Ward at 10:04 of the second period, and a 5-on-4 tally 50 seconds later by left wing Patrick Marleau.

San Jose needed to win on home ice. Check.

The Sharks were only 3-6 at the Shark Tank, which included losses in four of their last five as hosts. A point of emphasis DeBoer wants to see from this year's team is a return to domination on home ice.

"The last game was disappointing," Ward admitted. "We wanted to get some rest and establish our home ice."

And San Jose needed to win with a key defenseman out. Check.

Justin Braun missed his second of a likely three games in a row with an infected left elbow, and the Sharks were 0-4 when one of their top four defensemen were missing from the lineup. Not only did Brenden Dillon contribute 21:54 of solid hockey alongside Marc-Edouard Vlasic, but the third pair of Matt Tennyson and Mirco Mueller took regular shifts throughout to make the blue line corps have a seamless night.

"You could be missing two of your top defensemen, but if you play the way we did tonight you can win," Vlasic said.

And, finally, Martin Jones was there to backstop the effort as he has been on most nights this season. Jones made 25 saves in all, and spearheaded the team's perfect 3-for-3 night on the penalty kill.

Meanwhile, Calgary's Jonas Hiller was making his first appearance since Oct. 28. The goalie missed 13 games while battling a lower-body injury.

"It's not the way you want to start after being out so long," said Hiller, who stopped 24 shots. "But I thought they were better 5-on-5, better on the power play and better on the penalty kill. It's tough to win that way."

NOTES: Braun was placed in injured reserve, retroactive to Wednesday, when he missed his first game of the season. ... Calgary ranked last in the NHL on the penalty kill and 29th on the power play coming into the game. ... The Sharks recalled D Dylan DeMelo from AHL affiliate San Jose. ... The Flames won all three meetings in San Jose last season, outscoring the Sharks 10-4. ... C Logan Couture (fractured fibula) participated in a team practice Friday for the first time during his rehab from surgery to repair his broken ankle. C Ben Smith (concussion) remains out. ... The Sharks honored retired forward Ryane Clowe before the game. Clowe scored 101 goals and 271 points while amassing 567 penalty minutes in 423 games for San Jose from 2005-13. ... Calgary opens a five-game homestand on Tuesday against Dallas. ... LW Micheal Haley and DeMelo were San Jose's healthy scratches while LW Mason Raymond and LW Brandon Bollig did not dress for Calgary.