The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Toffoli and Mario Ferraro scored and the San Jose Sharks snapped an eight-game winless streak by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Thursday night.

Toffoli used a nifty toe drag to score his 15th goal of the season midway through the first and Ferraro added a goal in the second to give the Sharks their first home win since Nov. 29.

Yaroslav Askarov made 24 saves.

San Jose was 0-7-1 in its last eight games and had just one win in 12 games in a stretch that started with an 8-1 loss at Tampa on Dec. 5.

Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 23 saves.

The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) looks back as the puck goes into the net for a goal by San Jose Sharks center Tyler Toffoli during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Takeaways

Lightning: Tampa Bay had won six of eight headed into this three-game California swing but wasn’t able to generate much against San Jose.

Sharks: After being completely outclassed in the loss at Tampa last month, the young Sharks looked much better on home ice against one of the NHL’s top teams

Key moment

The Lightning had a chance to tie it in the third period when Macklin Celebrini was sent off for roughing. During the power play, Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman got hit in the ear by a clearing attempt that went right to Barclay Goodrow for a breakaway. Vasilevskiy made the save but Hedman had to go straight to the locker room as he was bleeding from the ear.

The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November | iNFOnews.ca
San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) is congratulated by teammate after scoring a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Key stat

Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic played in his 1,297th career game and first of the season after being sidelined by an upper-body injury. Vlasic had the primary assist on Toffoli’s goal and needs three more games to join Nicklas Lidstrom (1,564 for Detroit) and Ray Bourque (1,518 for Boston) as the only defenseman to play 1,300 games for one franchise.

Up next

The Lightning visit Los Angeles on Saturday night, while the Sharks host New Jersey that day.

The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (41) fights with San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November | iNFOnews.ca
San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov allows a goal by Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Nick Paul is checked into the boards by San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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