Tag: NHL

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro: Sharks open up back to back nights with Dallas and Vegas; SJ picks up goaltender Brossoit from Jets

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The San Jose Sharks picked up goaltender Laurent Brossoit from the Winnipeg Jets on Thu Jan 8, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 The San Jose Sharks picked up Laurent Brossoit from the Winnipeg Jets in a trade with the Chciago Blackhawks on Thursday. Brossoit agreed to a $6.6 million contract with the Blackhawks but never played for Chciago. Brossoit was out with a right knee injury last season. Brossoit had been playing this season in the minors after having off season hip surgery.

#2 Macklin Celebrini has been one of San Jose’s top offensive threats this season — how can the Sharks leverage his creativity and scoring touch to break through a strong Dallas Stars defensive structure?

#3 With William Eklund showing his knack for clutch goals and playmaking, what role might he play in generating early momentum for San Jose against Dallas?

#4 Alex Wennberg brings veteran leadership and reliable two-way play — how important will his faceoff performance and defensive zone coverage be in slowing down the Stars’ attack?

#5 On the blue line, Mario Ferraro’s physicality and ability to jump into the play could be key — how might his style impact the Sharks’ ability to limit Dallas shots from dangerous areas?

#6 Goalie Yaroslav Askarov has been tasked with net-minding duties — what adjustments must he make to handle the Stars’ skilled forwards and pace of play throughout 60 minutes?

Len Shapiro does the San Jose Sharks podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mammoth Defeats Senators 3-1 As NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Reveals Utah To Host 2027 Winter Classic

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The Utah Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the University of Utah Utes football team (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–The Utah Mammoth got all the offense it would need in the first eight minutes and shut the Ottawa Senators down in the final two periods en route to 3-1 victory in first home game of 2026.

The Utah Mammoth (20-20-3) returned to Delta Center on Wednesday night, following a Big Apple road trip to kick off 2026 where they won two of three, to face the Ottawa Senators (20-16-5) for the first of a season-high seven-game homestand which ties a franchise record.

Earlier in the day, Mammoth owners Ryan and Ashley Smith held a press conference with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to announce that Utah will host the 2027 Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the University of Utah Utes football team. The Mammoth are the only NHL team which has never played an outdoor game. The only other two teams never to host one are the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks.

Prior to the puck drop, Utah recognized its four players who have been selected to represent their respective countries in February’s Winter Olympics: Clayton Keller (USA), JJ Peterka (Germany), Karel Vejmelka (Czechia), and Olli Määttä (Finland)..

Lawson Crouse put the Mammoth on the scoreboard at 3:59 of the first period when Clayton Keller skated the puck behind the net and then out front where he found the stick of Crouse who banged it in for his tenth goal of the season, with the additional assist going to Mikhail Sergachev.

Crouse has six points in his past seven games, and is now two goals shy of his total for the 2024-2025 season as well as two points ahead of last season’s overall total. Utah now has six different players with 10 or more goals which ties them for the most in the NHL.

At 7:20, the captain picked up his second assist of the night, feeding a pass to defenseman John Marino who put the puck past Ottawa netminder Leevi Meriläinen for his 3rd goal of the season and first in front of the home fans, with Nate Schmidt picking up the additional assist on the play.

The Senators would claw one back at 17:41 of the period when Ridly Greig beat Karel Vejmelka for his sixth of the season, assisted by Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson. Utah carried the 2-1 lead to the locker room, with Meriläinen stopping 7 of 9 and Vejmelka turning away 6 of 7.

Ottawa applied a lot more pressure in the second period, peppering Vejmelka with 15 shots to no avail. Utah managed only 5 shots in the frame as the score remained 2-1 after two.

At 5:41 of the third period, the Mammoth regained their two-goal lead as a pile of bodies stacked up in front of the Senators goaltender and somehow forward Daniil But pushed the puck over the line for his 2nd goal of the season, assisted by Jack McBain and Brandon Tanev.

Ottawa challenged the goal citing goaltender interference, but the decision on the ice was upheld upon video review. Utah’s defense proved stingy throughout the final frame and never gave the Senators an opening to close the gap. Vejmelka saved 32 of 33 on the night. With the 3-1 victory, the Mammoth are now 3-1-0 in the new year.

Following the game, Utah forward Lawson Crouse said, “It took a lot of grind” to win tonight’s game. “That pressure kept coming from them,” he said, “and we did a good job. We found a way to close it out and that’s what’s important. … There were ups and downs throughout the game, just like there’s gonna be in any game, but like I said earlier, we found a way to close it out and get a big point.” Crouse praised the contributions of Utah defensemen Sergachev, Marino, and Schmidt who each found the scoresheet. “It’s huge. We wouldn’t be here without our D and they contribute all over the ice, defensively and offensively. It’s great to see Johnny get one. He’s obviously a great guy and really good with the puck, and makes some solid plays. It’s nice to see him get rewarded.” Talking about Daniil But’s performance, Crouse added, “He’s got a lot of chances, and I think he had a few more tonight that probably could have gone in and it’s just weird, that’s the one that goes in. But credit to that line, they go to the net hard. It’s nice to see them get rewarded.”

Mammoth defenseman John Marino spoke of the team’s effort in the win. “We got those first two goals early, and we had a big push there in the first. They played well, and they out worked us at times, probably overall in the whole game but we snuck away with that one. I think the way we were able to sustain pressure, at least, and just limit their grade A chances.”

Marino credited Olympian Karel Vejmelka’s performance as well. “Yeah, he’s been great for us all year making those big saves. He definitely bailed us out so many times today. We want to help him out more, but when he plays like that we are a tough team to play against.”

Head Coach André Tourigny began his postgame remarks by saying, “First of all, they’re a good team. They play hard, tough to play against, and I give them a lot of credit. Second, we played very hard, especially at the end of the game.

Even when we took the lead early on, there was a little bit of an adjustment for us in the third. I really think when the game is on the line, when push comes to shove, we really raise our game. We raised our urgency, were really stingy, and we had composure. So, I like the way we closed out the game. When it was 2-1, there was no panic, no stress in our game, just urgency and focus.”

When asked his thoughts about the Winter Classic announcement, Tourigny said, “For the entire organization, [for] the fans, to have the opportunity to experience that – for us coaches and players and our families – to have that opportunity to be in that environment will be absolutely special and will be magical. I think that’s unbelievable. I think for you, for our fans, for everybody, I think that’s a unique opportunity. I’ve never had the opportunity in the NHL. … It’s a huge privilege, as much as you can watch on TV – there’s a few every year – but there’s 32 teams in the league. Not everybody has that opportunity so I think we’re fortunate. I really appreciate the league giving us that opportunity, and that’s a testimony for me to the confidence they have in Ryan and Ashley Smith – the job that they did here with SEG since the team arrived – so I’m grateful for all of it.”

The Mammoth (21-20-3) will face the St. Louis Blues (17-19-8) on Friday for the second contest of their seven-game homestand.

Sharks Beat Kings 4-3 In OT, 3 Point Game for Celebrini

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San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) puts the stop on a puck shot by the Los Angeles Kings in the second period at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wed Jan 7, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday. Tyler Toffoli, Adam Gaudette, Macklin Celebrini and William Eklund scored for the Sharks. Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves for the win. Alex Turcotte, Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings. Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves in the loss. The game was the last between the teams for the regular season.

After the game, Macklin Celebrini talked about how the team is feeling:

“You have a feeling in our group, we’re confident in those situations when we’re down 3-2 or tied 2-2 going in late against a really relly good team, a playoff team, so I th8nk it’s a different kind of swagger and feeling in our group.”

After a scoreless first period, the teams were tied or close in almost all respects: shots were 8-6 Kings, the Sharks had one penalty and the Kings none, and the teams were even in faceoff wins.

On their first power play of the game, the Sharks took a 1-0 lead. Tyler Toffoli scored with a wrist shot at 4:10 of the second period. Assists went to Alexander Wennberg and Macklin Celebrini.

The Sharks held that lead for a bit but Alex Turcotte tied the game at 11:34. His wrist shot got through a scrum in front of the net on a second rebound after Askarov made two saves but came out too far. An assist went to Kevin Fiala.

The second period shots were 13-10 Sharks, the penalties were three for Los Angeles and two for San Jose.

Adam Gaudette gave the Sharks another lead by tipping a shot from Timothy Liljegren for a power play goal at 5:38 of the third. Assists went to Liljegren and Jeff Skinner.

Kevin Fiala tied the game back up with a wrist shot about a minute later. Assists went to Turcotte and Joel Edmundson.

Edmundsson was briefly credited with a goal at 12:09. After a review, the goal was called back as Edmundson had knocked the puck into the net with his glove.

The Kings did take the lead at 17:50 with a shot from the blue line tipped by Alex Laferriere. Assists went to Joel Edmunson and Cody Ceci.

Macklin Celebrini tied it up again with a dazzling skill show at 18:53.

The Sharks won with a goal in overtime from William Eklund off a pass from Celebrini.

The Sharks next play on Saturday at home at 1:00 pm PT against the Dallas Stars.

NHL podcast Jessica Kwong: Kraken on four game win streak; Isles leave it all out on the ice with 9-0 win; plus more news

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Seattle Kraken Berkly Catton flicks the puck against the Boston Bruins in the third period at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Tue Jan 6, 2026 (AP News photo)

NHL podcast Jessica Kwong:

Can the Seattle Kraken keep rolling after Berkly Catton’s first NHL goals and a nine-game point streak? — Catton scored his first two NHL goals in a 7-4 win over the Bruins, extending Seattle’s four game win streak.

Will the New York Islanders’ dominant 9–0 win and Ilya Sorokin’s franchise shutout record spark a bigger surge in the Metropolitan Division? — Sorokin set the Islanders’ shutout mark in the rout of the Devils.

What’s the latest from the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of their next matchup? — Penguins news and practice updates were released as they prepare for Thursday’s game.

How will the Olympic selections impact the NHL as Akira Schmid is named to Switzerland’s Winter Games roster? — Golden Knights goaltender Schmid earned an Olympic spot.

What do NHL power players say about the league’s growth and fan engagement following the 2026 Winter Classic? — Young ambassadors are sharing insights after the event.

Jessica Kwong does the NHL podcasts every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Wennberg’s three point night lifts Sharks into last wild card spot in the West with 5-2 win over Columbus

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Pavol Regenda forward (84) for the San Jose Sharks is thrilled with the Sharks taking the lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets at SAP Center in San Jose on Tue Jan 6, 2026 (San Jose Sharks X photo)

By Lincoln Juarez 

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Alex Wennberg notched three points including a goal in his first game since signing a three-year contract extension. Zach Ostapchuk was rewarded with the game-winning goal in a vibrant 5–2Tuesday night victory at the Shark Tank.  

Tuesday night hockey at SAP Center brought the Columbus Blue Jackets (18-16-7) to town holding the worst record in the Eastern conference while tallying as many points as the Sharks(43), who entered the game just two points out of the final Western conference wild card spot.

The Sharks were coming off a bitter loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday afternoon where Pavol Regenda scored his first career hat trick in the 7-3 loss. With the Ducks loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia, that second wild card spot was up for grabs with a Sharks win. 

Regenda kept his torch of a stick on fire, making the difference in the first period of Tuesday’s game with the lone goal between the two teams. Displaying his sweet set of mitts, he roofed one above the glove of Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves. It was Regenda’s sixth goal in just his fifth game with the Sharks this season with Alex Wennberg picking up the primary assist in his first game since signing a three-year contract extension with San Jose. 

In the Sharks crease, Alex Nedeljkovic stood strong turning away all 12 shots he faced including some point-blank scoring chances. Nedeljkovic has made some big saves to keep the Sharks in games as of late with the recent inconsistent play of Yaroslav Askarov. 

The pace the Sharks lacked on Saturday was in full force in the second period Tuesday night. Outshooting the Blue Jackets 17-5 in the middle period, San Jose dominated time on attack and offensive pressure. The Sharks drew four penalties, one of which came on a trip to forward Ty Dellandrea, sending him legs-first into the goal post and to the locker room for the rest of the game.

 The Sharks were only able to capitalize on one power play. Alex Wennberg backhanded one into the net to put the Sharks ahead by two goals with his eighth of the season, getting in on both of the Sharks goals through the first two periods.

Columbus finally had an answer with Zach Werenski’s 16th goal of the season to get back within a goal. 

The second period had a little bit of everything, including a heavy-weight tilt between Mathieu Olivier and Ryan Reaves at center ice, keeping the energy high in the Shark Tank as the second period came to an end with San Jose in front 2-1. 

An energetic third period saw both teams attacking with the Blue Jackets throwing 18 shots at Alex Nedeljkovic while the Sharks had nine shots on goal. Neither side prevailed until Zach Ostapchuk, “the fastest man in the world” according to Ryan Reaves, broke free from everybody and scored a sweet goal to extend the Sharks lead back to two with 4:44 left in regulation. “He’s been playing some good hockey, happy for him to get rewarded with a goal tonight” said head coach Ryan Warsofsky on Zach Ostapchuk’s play of late. 

Luckily the Sharks got some insurance because Sean Monohan brought the Blue Jackets back within one less than a minute later with his sixth goal of the campaign. 

San Jose went on to score two empty-net goals from Mario Ferraro and Macklin Celebrini to secure a 5-2 win and swap places with the Anaheim Ducks for the second wild card spot in the West following their loss in Philadelphia earlier in the night. 

Team teal will be right back in action Wednesday night in downtown LA when the puck drops at 7:30pm in the second game of back-to-backs against the Los Angeles Kings.

Brutal Loss Against Bolts at Home: Sharks Lose 7-3 on Home Ice

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Tampa Bay at San Jose Sharks as both teams battled in center ice for the opening period at SAP Center on Jan 3rd, 2026 (Sharks Media)

By Fernando Abarca

SAN JOSE, Calif– The San Jose Sharks (20-18-3) were ready to start the new year as the team hit the mid-point of the season, hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-3). The Teal is trying to start off the first game of the year on a good note, but the visitors gave them a friendly reminder that they are top contenders in the Eastern Conference, and that reminder was not a friendly one crushing San Jose 7-3 Saturday.

From way before the start of the period, the Bolts came with superiority as they are on a 6-game streak, and made it to seven tonight. While for the Teal, they are on 3 3-game in a row winning streak, not bad for a team that is progressively improving.

During the first Period, the game was absolutely dominated by Tampa Bay. Brayden Point (10). Darren Raddysh (10) and Brandon Hagel (19) all contributed to a 3-0 lead within the first seven minutes of the period. The Sharks tried to get a sign of relief, scoring the lone powerr play goal of the period by the Sharks Pavol Regenda.

In the second period, the game was drawn by fights, penalties, intensity, and physicality. A total of nine penalties were given to each team for roughing and misconduct. The fight certainly set the tone of the game, but it also played a side effect role. The scoring remained in favor of Tampa Bay, with four more goals scored which two of which were those during a power play advantage.

Regenda helped the Sharks with another goal during the second period.

In the third, the Sharks were not able to bounce back, and the game remained. San Jose’s Regenda managed one goal in the third period but trailed by a comfortable margin, unable to mount a full comeback against a Lightning squad that dominated possession and capitalized on its scoring chances throughout the afternoon. Tampa Bay’s depth and execution stood out throughout the 60 minutes of Hockey.

The loss drops the Sharks in the second Wild Card spot momentarily, and marks an end to their three-game winning streak, a run that had briefly given San Jose momentum in the tightly contested Pacific Division.

The action returns Tuesday night at SAP Center against the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 7:00pm PT puck drop.

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa: Sharks face Bolts Saturday; Tampa Bay on 6 game win streak; SJ on 3 game win streak

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San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund (72) is jubilant after scoring the winning goal in the second round of the shootout against the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center in San Jose on Wed Dec 31, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Mary Lisa:

#1 Can Macklin Celebrini continue his recent high-octane offense and challenge the Tampa Bay Lightning (24-13-3) defense right from the opening puck drop?

#2 How will Tyler Toffoli’s scoring touch impact the San Jose Sharks (20-17-3) in Saturday’s matchup, especially considering his clutch goal in the last season against Tampa Bay with the Sharks win over the Lightning?

#3 Will Yaroslav Askarov’s netminding be a key factor, particularly if the Lightning come out firing early?

#4 Can Collin Graf make noise offensively again and continue to grow chemistry with Celebrini and Will Smith on that forward line?

#5 What defensive adjustments will Mario Ferraro and the Sharks blueline need to contain Tampa Bay’s transition game?

Mary Lisa is a San Jose Sharks beat writer and does Sharks podcasts Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez: Will Lightning be a test for Sharks Saturday?

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Macklin Celebrini center (71) for the San Jose Sharks skates off the ice after scoring a shootout goal against the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center on Thu Jan 1, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez:

Can Macklin Celebrini continue his recent high-octane offense and challenge Tampa Bay’s defense right from the opening puck drop?
(The young Sharks star leads the team in scoring and has been a standout all season.)

How will Tyler Toffoli’s scoring touch impact the Sharks in Saturday’s matchup, especially considering his clutch goal in the last season Sharks win over the Lightning?
(Toffoli scored and helped San Jose snap its skid the last time these clubs met.)

Will Yaroslav Askarov’s netminding be a key factor, particularly if the Lightning come out firing early?
(Askarov made 24 saves in their prior meeting and could again be pivotal.)

Can Collin Graf make noise offensively again and continue to grow chemistry with Celebrini and Will Smith on that forward line?
(Graf has been working with San Jose’s up-and-coming core upfront.)

What defensive adjustments will Mario Ferraro and the Sharks blueline need to contain Tampa Bay’s transition game?
(Defense and gap control will be tested against a fast Lightning squad.)

Join Lincoln Juarez for the San Jose Sharks podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro: Celebrini scores 22nd and 23rd goals stands at third in NHL goals

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San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) takes a shot on goal against the Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) in the second round of the shootout at SAP Center in San Jose on Wed Dec 31, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 Len, the game started with the Minnesota Wild’s Vladimir Tarasenko scoring his eighth goal of the sesaon to put the Wild on top 1-0 at 10:38

#2 The Sharks got two goals to the Wild’s no goals in the second period. Igor Chernyshov scored for his third of the season for the Sharks at 1:14 to tie it 1-1 San Jose. The Sharks Jeff Skinner scored his fifth goal a power play goal to give San Jose the 2-1 lead at 16:47.

#3 In the third period the Sharks Macklin Celebrini scored his 22nd goal of the season as San Jose took a two goal lead 3-1 at 4:16. The Wild came back with two straight goals to tie it up with Marcus Foligno his first of the season at 6:40 and Mats Zuccarello scored his fourth goal of the season to tie up the game at 3-3 at 8:47 which forced overtime.

#4 In the overtime stanza neither team scored. In the second round of the shootout following the overtime. Celebrini scored the first shootout goal and Will Smith scored the clincher for the second shootout goal for the 4-3 Sharks win. Top three stars #3 Jeff Skinner, #2 Igor Chernyshov and the #1 star Celebrini

#5 Next up for the San Jose Sharks they face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning who were in their own overtime against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Face off between the Bolts and Sharks on Sat Jan 3 is 1:00pm PT at SAP Center.

Len Shapiro is a San Jose Sharks reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sharks End the Year on a 3-game Winning streak against the Minnesota Wild, 4-3

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Ryan Hartman (38) of the Wild collides with Sharks center Ty Dellandrea (10) during the first period Wednesday in San Jose. (Photo Credits to Godofredo A. Vásquez/The Associated Press)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks closed out the year on a high note, defeating the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in a shootout in a thrilling 1 p.m. contest at SAP Center, extending their winning streak to three games and completing a season series sweep of Minnesota.

San Jose entered the game on a two-game winning streak and extended it to three straight wins with the win. The Sharks’ record has also improved over the last ten games, from 6-4 to 7-3, giving them momentum heading into the new year. The victory finished a successful season series against the Wild, with San Jose winning 3-0, including a dramatic 3-2 overtime win in their most recent meeting on November 11, 2025.

Before the puck dropped, Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini made headlines for being chosen as the youngest member of Team Canada, which included NHL players. Celebrini continues to make NHL history, tying Sidney Crosby for the most points by a teenager before Christmas with 55. The sophomore superstar has been electrifying this season, ranking third in the NHL with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 39 games played as of December 29, while tying for second in the league with 39 assists.

Despite the pregame hype, Minnesota struck first. Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Wild within 11 minutes of the game’s start. Minnesota dominated the first period, holding San Jose scoreless and carrying out its game plan perfectly. The Sharks went into the first intermission anxious, having to rearrange lineups and change formations after being outplayed in the first 20 minutes.

San Jose responded with energy in the second period. Igor Chernyshov scored the Sharks’ first goal of the afternoon just two minutes in, regaining momentum for the home team. The momentum continued when Jeff Skinner scored 14 minutes later to give San Jose their first lead of the game. After two quarters of play, the Sharks led 2-1 heading into the locker room.

The Sharks scored immediately to start the third quarter. Macklin Celebrini scored early, extending San Jose’s lead to 3-1 and exciting the SAP Center crowd. However, Minnesota refused to go away. Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello reestablished Minnesota’s offense, tying the game at 3-3.

The final five minutes of regulation turned into a defensive battle, with both teams locked in and unwilling to surrender the decisive goal.

Overtime matched the intensity of the regular game, with both sides playing aggressive defense and contesting every shot. Neither team could find the back of the net in the additional five minutes, forcing the final game of the season into a shootout.

Collin Graf of San Jose started the shootout but missed. Minnesota’s Mats Zuccarello followed, but also came up empty. With the pressure growing, Celebrini stepped up and calmly sank his shot, giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Minnesota failed to convert on its second try, securing the victory.

The Sharks skated off the ice with a 4–3 shootout victory, closing out the year in dramatic fashion and extending their winning streak as they head into the next stretch of the season. Macklin Celebrini is now at 23 goals so far in the season. The Sharks look forward to the new year as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 3rd, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. back at SAP Center.