COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The San Jose Sharks played as a well-oiled machine in the opener of their five-game Eastern Conference road trip, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Saturday night in front of an announced crowd of 16,546.

The Sharks never trailed in the game, scoring two goals in the first period.

"A good, sloppy road win," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We'll take it. We had some real quality opportunities to extend the lead and we didn't. When that happens and you let a team hang around, then you're fighting for your life down the stretch.

"Hopefully, it's 'lesson learned' and move on with the two points and get ready for New York (Rangers)."

Micheal Boedker opened the scoring for the Sharks on a deflected centering pass from Logan Couture at 9:22, with Brenden Dillion also getting an assist.

The Blue Jackets couldn't keep pace with the increasing intensity of the Sharks, who controlled play throughout much of the period.

"It's always nice to score and help the team get the lead," Boedker said. "We created a lot of chances today, and it showed on the shot stats. Their goalie played really well, but it was a good road win for us."

The Sharks ramped up the intensity and speed on the Blue Jackets, resulting in Joel Ward sniping the puck past Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky's outstretched right pad for a 2-0 lead at 14:54 of the first period.

The Sharks had the best road record last year in the NHL (28-10-3) and wanted to continue that level of play away from home to start this road trip.

"It's huge," Ward said of the road win. "We felt that getting off to a good first period was key for us."

The Blue Jackets raised their intensity, attempting to match that of the Sharks in the second period. Bobrovsky did his best to keep Columbus in the game as San Jose increased its advantage in shots on goal to 30-13.

"There were lots of shots and lots of chances," Bobrovsky said. "I thought we played great in the third period and we got some momentum back.

"I think they do work hard," he said of the team's defense. "They tried their best and helped as much as they can. It's only the second game. It will come together and we'll be great."

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella pointed to a Oliver Bjorkstrand penalty as a key moment in the first period.

"We hurt ourselves and lost a little momentum with the four-minute power play they had for high-sticking," Tortorella said.

"I thought we gave ourselves many more chances to forecheck with our decisions in the neutral zone as the game went on. In the first half of the game, you have to give (Sharks) credit, we didn't get enough shots to the net. We have to continue to get better."

After a cross-checking penalty on the Sharks' Brent Burns early in the third period, Columbus took just 10 seconds on the ensuing power play to halve the Sharks lead.

Zach Werenski, playing in just his second NHL game after being drafted eighth overall in the 2015 draft, snuck the puck past Sharks goalie Martin Jones for his first NHL goal. Alex Wennberg and Cam Atkinson assisted on the goal.

"It's great to score my first goal and it's a moment I've always dreamed of," Werenski said. "But we didn't get the win.

"They're a really good hockey team. They put pretty much everything at the net. Bob played a really great game, but there are some things we have to work on defensively."

With Columbus on the penalty kill and Bobrovsky pulled, Partick Marleau gave the Sharks a 3-1 lead late in the game, with Burns getting his second assist of the night.

Columbus' Josh Anderson scored with 23 seconds remaining to pull within one goal of San Jose.

NOTES: Blue Jackets D Ryan Murray spent a little time on ice Saturday morning, but did not play. D Dalton Prout was in the lineup, paired with Markus Nutivaara ... Columbus D Cody Goloubef (oblique) was placed on injured reserve. RW David Clarkson (back), D Dillon Heatherington (wrist) and G Joonas Korpisalo (groin) were also out, ... Murray, D Scott Harrington and C Lukas Sedlak were scratched for Columbus ... The Sharks were the league's best road team (28-10-3) last season and reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history ... The Sharks are the oldest team in the NHL (28 years, 321 days), and the Blue Jackets are the youngest (25 years, 292 days) ... Four Sharks, C Joe Thornton, D Brent Burns, C Logan Couture and D Marc-Edouard Vlasic, played for the World Cup of Hockey-winning Team Canada. ... C Michael Haley, C Ryan Carpenter and D Dylan Demelo were the scratches for San Jose.