Brandon Hagel scored two goals in just 23 seconds during a five-goal first period as the Tampa Bay Lightning easily defeated the San Jose Sharks 8-1 on Thursday.
Cam Atkinson and Conor Geekie each had a goal and an assist before Hagel scored twice. Jake Guentzel, who finished with two points, added a goal to end the explosive period, helping the Lightning move closer to an 8-0-1 record in their last nine games against San Jose.
Anthony Cirelli, Nick Perbix, and Nick Paul also scored for Tampa Bay. Brayden Point recorded a career-high four assists in his 600th NHL game, while Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh each provided two assists.
Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves to improve his all-time record to 8-2-0 against San Jose. This was his second win in his last five starts. The Lightning have alternated wins and losses over their past six games.
Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks, who dropped to 4-8-4 on the road and had their three-game winning streak come to an end.
Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek gave up five goals on 12 shots and was pulled after the first period. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 21 of 24 shots in relief.
Despite playing without top-line right winger Nikita Kucherov, the Lightning were dominant, getting two goals from their third line on their first six shots.
Atkinson scored Tampa Bay’s third shot on Vanecek just 86 seconds into the game by deflecting Geekie’s long shot for his third goal. Geekie added his fourth goal at 7:29.
Hagel then scored twice, first deking Vanecek at 8:32, and then adding his 12th goal at 8:55, giving Tampa Bay three goals in 1:26. Guentzel capped the period with his 11th goal on a power play at 17:45.
In the second period, McDonagh’s shot was tipped in by Cirelli for his 11th goal, and ninth in his last 10 games, at 4:16. Perbix added his third goal to extend the lead to 7-0 by the end of the second period.
Wennberg scored his seventh goal to break Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid just 14 seconds into the third period.
Paul, returning after missing six games, responded with his sixth goal at 6:01, tying Tampa Bay’s season-high goal total.
