The Tampa Bay Lightning came to SAP Center on Saturday afternoon and figured out how to stop the Sharks. Taking runs at Macklin Celebrini all game, the Lightning shifted the Sharks focus from playing hockey and it resulted in a 7-3 Lightning victory. After opening the game with 3 straight 1st period goals, Tampa Bay continued to lay the body on Celebrini as much as possible and the Sharks took the bait. The Sharks would respond with a parade to the penalty box in the 2nd period that resulted in 3 Lightning power play goals to put the game out of reach.

JJ Moser was the Lightning defenseman assigned to go after Celebrini. That would take Celebrini out of the game and shift the focus on Tampa's blueliner.

Problem is, Moser would not engage when the Sharks went after him. So while they were trying to settle the score, Tampa simply turtled their way to a win.

It was a master class in how to put a team on tilt. And San Jose fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Things went south in a hurry for the Sharks as the Lightning were faster, more committed and better in the talent comparison. Brayden Point opened a flurry of goals with his 10th of the season and 3rd in the last 3 games just 2:37 into the contest. The Lightning moved the puck up to Max Crozier on the right side, drawing two Shark defenders to that side. Crozier sent a diagonal pass to point after crossing the Sharks blueline to Point who was undefended. Point lifted a shot that beat Yaroslav Askarov by tucking just inside the right post.

Darren Raddysh scored less than 2 minutes later after Nikita Kucherov moved the puck out of the end boards for a one time shot that beat Askarov through the 5-hole. Raddysh uncorked his shot from the right dot but it was something Askarov should have stopped.

Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky used his timeout to regroup his team, but that simply delayed the Lightning from scoring a 3rd goal.

Brandon Hagel made it a 3-0 Lightning lead at 6:46 and Askarov's day was done. The Lightning moved the puck up the ice quickly as Hagel and Jake Guentzel traded passes along the way. Hagel receive the return feed from his linemate and snapped a shot past Askarov for his 19th of the season.

Erik Cernak was called for tripping at 9:14 to give the Sharks their 1st power play of the game. San Jose cut the Lightning lead to 2-goals when Pavol Regenda grabbed a rebound in front then slipped the puck around Andrei Vasilevskiy's right pad for this 3rd goal of the season.

Regenda followed up his goal by taking a tripping penalty 1:21 into the 2nd period. The Lightning didn't need the help, but attacking 5 versus 4 was an advantage the Sharks could not defend. Raddysh unloaded on a shot from the blueline that slipped inside the left post to make it a 4-1 game.

Dominic James made it a 5-1 game 66 seconds later.

Reganda was credited with his 2nd goal of the game at 9:50 when Timothy Liljegren bounced a shot off him after a Jeff Skinner chance was denied by Vasilevskiy.

Moser drew the Sharks into a penalty after leveling Celebrini at the 13 minute mark. William Eklund was sent off for a double minor for roughing which was offset by a 2 minute penalty to Moser, but Tampa Bay converted when Kucherov bagged his 20th of the season.

The Sharks 4th liners finally got in on the act when Ryan Reaves and Barclay Goodrow went after the Moser. a line brawl ensued, but the Sharks would go back to the penalty kill which cost them when Raddysh completed his hat trick to make it 7-2.

Regenda stuffed home a shot from the top of the crease with 3:50 remaining to record his first career NHL hat trick.

The two teams will square off again in South Florida on January 20th, so the Sharks will have their opportunity to settle some scores.

Game Notes:

* Macklin Celebrini extended his point scoring streak to 10 games. The Sharks forward has 7 goals and 13 assists in that span. His 4-game goal scoring streak was snapped however.

* Tampa only needed 6 shots to score their 4 goals in the 2nd period.

* Nikita Kucherov finished the game with a 5 point game (1 goal and 4 assists). He has recorded 6 points in a single game twice in his career.

* Shakir Mukhamadullin was injured in the 1st period and did not return.

* Timothy Liljegren returned to the lineup after missing the last 4 games.

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