Lightning score 5 in 1st period, cruise to victory against Sharks

TAMPA -- Brayden Point had four assists for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who scored five times in the first period of an 8-1 win against the San Jose Sharks at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

Brandon Hagel scored twice, and Cam Atkinson, Conor Geekie and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (13-9-2), who scored eight goals for the second time in five games and third time this season. Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh each had two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves.

Tampa Bay hadn’t played since a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

“One of our struggles this year has been playing a full game,” Point said. “Regardless of the score, we just wanted to keep playing the same way. It can sometimes be tough in the first game coming off a break, but we’ve practiced well.”

Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks (10-14-5), who had a three-game winning streak end. Vitek Vanecek gave up five goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood (20 saves) after the first period.

Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, had a five-game point streak end.

“We weren’t ready from the start,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Didn’t skate, didn’t compete … didn’t do anything well. Disappointing. I thought we had a good morning skate, good energy, good meetings. ... I thought our guys were excited for the challenge tonight, but we got a reality check of when you don’t skate, and you don’t compete against really good hockey or any team in the National Hockey League, this is what’s going to happen.”

Atkinson gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 1:26 of the first when he redirected a shot from Geekie.

“We talked about it before the game, getting to the dirty areas to get a tip and get some rebounds,” Atkinson said. “It’s nice to get a goal on your first shift.”

Geekie made it 2-0 at 7:29 on a wrist shot from the left face-off circle that beat Vanecek to the far post. The goal came 15 seconds after Vasilevskiy made a glove save on Mikael Granlund’s wrist shot from the left circle on a 3-on-1.

Hagel extended the lead to 3-0 at 8:32 when he gathered a loose puck down low and waited out Vanecek before scoring at the right post.

Hagel then pushed it to 4-0 at 8:55 with his second goal of the game and Tampa Bay’s second in 23 seconds. He got to the puck in the neutral zone, drove to the net and scored with a backhand around Vanecek’s left skate.

“We were getting our chances, and they were going in the net,” Hagel said. “But I think a little in the first there were a couple too many odd-man rushes and ‘Vasy’ had to make a ton of saves like he does all the time.”

Guentzel made it 5-0 with a power-play goal at 17:45, on a tip from the low slot off a pass from Hedman.

“First period when they scored, we didn’t do enough to get the momentum back on our side,” Sharks forward Luke Kunin said. “I think we had some looks there … passing up shots. They have a very good goaltender over there. You have to get traffic and shoot pucks. It just wasn’t good enough in all areas.”

Anthony Cirelli increased the lead 6-0 at 4:16 of the second period. His redirection of a shot from McDonagh went off Blackwood's skate and in.

Nick Perbix then made it 7-0 at 18:32 after Point shook off two defenders near the left boards and centered the puck to Perbix, who scored on a wrist shot from just above the slot.

“You play 82, this sometimes happens, and I’ve been on both sides. This can be a humbling game,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “It was one of those nights where after two periods the score was definitely not indicative of the game. Everything was going in for us and our goalie was making a nice save, or it was hitting a stick or getting deflected wide. I bet you scoring chances were relatively close after two periods, but the score wasn’t.”

Wennberg cut it to 7-1 at 14 seconds of the third period, getting behind the defense, taking a pass from Fabian Zetterlund and scoring on the forehand.

Nick Paul scored at 6:01 for the 8-1 final after Point fed him in the low slot. Paul missed the previous six games with a lower-body injury.

“We can’t quit. We have to have no quit in our game,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said. “No matter what the score is, no matter what time of the game, we've got to be competitive. We have no time to sulk and feel sorry for ourselves midgame. We have to stay on top of things and have our next best shift.”

NOTES: Point played his 600th NHL game. He has nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past five. … Hagel has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in his past seven games. … The Lightning have scored eight goals three times in a season for the first time in their history (8-2 win against Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 25; 8-5 win at New Jersey Devils on Oct. 22). They scored the second-fastest four goals to start a game in their history (6:42 in 9-3 win against New York Rangers on Nov. 14, 2019). … Celebrini had seven shot attempts (four on goal) and was 6-for-11 on face-offs (55 percent).