San Jose Sharks
Regenda Scores Hat Trick, But Sharks Routed 7-3
The San Jose Sharks welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning into SAP Center.
Pavol Regenda scored a hat trick, but the Lightning lorded over the Sharks 7-3.
Period 1
2 in: Ferraro shows some nice patience with the puck in the NZ, before hitting Regenda with a pass for entry. Before, Celebrini probably doing too much, lost it skating up the gut in front of Askarov. Bad place to lose it.
Point goal: Just execution. Dellandrea got a bounce in OZ, had puck high, but couldn’t execute the next play. Not an easy one, tried to make a play, but high turnover, counterattack, and Point beats Askarov high one-on-one. Poor rush backcheck defense to leave Point alone.
3 in: Liljegren reads and plays Hagel one-on-one attack well.
Raddysh goal: San Jose Sharks need to wake up. Eklund slow to close on Raddysh at point? Think so, because the center Celebrini was helping low. Eklund also failed to get it out earlier.
Notably early timeout by Warsofsky. Right time and place, but of course, you’ve only got one.
Hagel goal: Another OZ execution turnover, like Dellandrea, not wrong idea from Goodrow, but his centering pass goes off Reaves’s skate. This leads directly to a Lightning 3-on-2, and I think Reaves shades toward Mukhamadullin’s man Guentzel, leaving Ferraro with Hagel and Cirelli. Reaves and Ferraro end up in no man’s land, and Hagel lights up a one-timer.
Regenda goal: Celebrini just made a can’t-believe-it move through Guentzel, that was Globetrotters stuff. Celebrini double-shifting himself on the power play, and it works. Then cross-slot pass to Regenda, Vasilevskiy with Save of the Night material. But then Liljegren filters it through, Regenda all alone, and Pavol’s got three goals in four games.
8 left: Eklund with a good backcheck effort, negates a Tampa 2-on-1.
2 left: Sharks have righted ship a little, but they leave Goncalves open in the slot for a one-timer. Luckily, I don’t think he gets all of it, but Nedeljkovic also huge save.
Period 2
Raddysh goal: What a case study of development. Bounced around, mostly AHL, until he was 26, when he’s PPG for Crunch. Then becomes a Lightning regular, then this season, another level. Now up to 11-22-33 in just 35 games, wow. A little bit of same path as Gaudette, who was good in the AHL and promising in the NHL, then exploded for 40-plus goals with Springfield, and is now an everyday NHL’er.
James goal: Looks like Orlov leaves his man in the front to chase the puck. Liljegren already there. But then the puck goes to the front. San Jose Sharks just brutal sorting it out defensively today.
Chernyshov's glove off, left hand/wrist being checked out on bench
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2026
This feels like a game that the San Jose Sharks aren’t being dominated in, though down 5-1. They’re serving the Lightning a few pizzas, and Tampa is just obliging by scarfing down.
8 in: Celebrini just sonned Canadian teammate Hagel twice, as Hagel tried to exit.
Regenda goal: Another goal off Celebrini staying on longer. He springs Skinner and Regenda for a 2-on-1, leaves, Skinner shot, Liljegren cleans up the rebound. Actually, looks like Regenda touched it.
Love it, Moser goes after Celebrini a second time tonight, and Eklund's had enough
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2026
Actually a clean (though hard) hit by Moser on Celebrini, a rare time that I’ve seen Macklin blown up without him looking. But love Eklund taking the extra, down three anyway, standing up to somebody who’s got four inches and tons of weight on him.
Kucherov goal: Guentzel flash screen on power play, that was a textbook version of why you do that. Doesn’t change my mind about Eklund stepping up.
5 left: Reaves sees an opportunity on forecheck on Moser, goes in for the double-dip. Love that from Reaves, and hey, credit Moser too, good player, just signed a huge extension, he’s doing his job.
Reaves has been yelling at Lightning for over a minute, Goodrow gets in on it too pic.twitter.com/GUV49CteJE
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2026
Raddysh goal: Power play, hat trick, but I think you live with all this, the team is staying together. Too bad it won’t be for a comeback. Broadcast says last Lightning hat trick by a d-man was San Jose Hockey Now Podcast co-host Dan Boyle, who’s doing radio tonight. Nice!
1 left: Now Orlov and Goncalves going at it. Third period will be interesting.
Period 3
Per Sharks, Mukhamadullin will not return tonight.
His last shift was 2:45 into first period
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2026
Actually not much for fireworks in the third, 5 minutes left.
Regenda goal: Now five goals in four lol. What a run! Gotta be up there for hat tricks in most lopsided losses.
In lieu of hats, Sharks fans throwing today’s giveaway item, mini San Jose Earthquakes soccer balls, onto the ice for Regenda’s hat trick pic.twitter.com/4NiwKYg9Ql
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 3, 2026
I will never understand why they don’t just go hard and clean after Pointe or Kucherov? It’s so lame to retaliate after a clean non dangerous with anything else but more hard clean hits to their best players eye for an eye tooth for tooth. that is how it’s done that’s how you stop them from going after Mack
The hit was clean. It was what happened after the hit that was PAB from Moser. He started slashing Mack while he was trying to get up from the hit. Moser deserved everything he received tonight.
Celly was hanging onto his stick trying to piss him off and draw a penalty after one of the hits.
Can’t hit what you can’t catch. Celly could use a little more Rhoenik in his game. He could easily clean that dickhead off his feet with a big hit. Cherny will need to add some physicality to his game as well.
Fuck man, that was an emotional game! It was infuriating, but fun and engaging to watch. Asky wasn’t ready to play today, and let three goals to start the game. From then on, we played a fiery 4-3 game against a very experienced playoff team. I think it’s a sign of respect that Jon ‘The Batman’ Cooper has his team play Celebrini like they would a star player in a playoff series. I like the pushback and scrums by the Sharks, but two things didn’t seem right about the antics that went down. 1. Moser’s gotta answer the bell when… Read more »
Cooper has made it clear he doesn’t care about Mack, sending a bad contract like Moser after him when they are up by three. Too bad Reaves didn’t respond sooner. I wish he would also pound the face of Hagel while he’s at it. PS please trade Ek while he has some value
That’s a dumb take.
Herb, you’re trippin! I guess your comment kinda makes sense as sarcasm. I’m probably being too gracious though.
Not about Elkund. Nothing special in his game, and too small. Currently trying to ride 71s coattail. There’s a reason Sweden didn’t pick him. Doug Junior was a moron and Gunther was the better pick.
A lot of Barracuda guys making a strong case that they can play in the NHL.
Warso pulling Asky .Every time he brings in backup Ned, the guy allows 2,3,4 more goals. Ned needs to stop the bleeding. But Tampa top 5 NHL teams. We’re still a long ways to go against top teams
Was at this game. Sharks got smoked like a pre roll. Kucherov is a sorcerer. Glad Igor’s hand didn’t get busted!
😆 Dam I gotta remember that saying
Few things. Have no idea why Cirelli didn’t get a penalty on that scrum. Reaves and Moser were pushing and shoving, looking like they were about to fight. Goodrow and Ostapchuk were there, but not engaged. Then Cirelli (pretty sure it was him) comes flying in from the side and the melee ensues. He should have been the one with the 10 min misconduct and Sharks should have been on the PP. Still, even if the refs had sorted that better, it would have only made the score a bit closer. The Lightning, along with the Caps, are superbly coached.… Read more »
Crosby became surgical with his stick and carved up a few guys like the dude from Slap Shot. Celly might need to take a suspension or 2 for high sticking a couple guys and knocking all their teeth out. When I used to play pickup with Maley he told me a story about Granato doing that to him back in the day.
Team will need guys like Regenda who are late bloomers who become contributors. Regenda is a very strong dude who would be useful in a playoff series.
A future 4th line of Giles, Regenda and Ostapchuk would be interesting to me. 3 big guys who go to the net front. Probably need at least one guy who can move the puck (maybe Ostapchuk becomes that guy) pretty well.
I’m not sure there’s a future for Giles in SJ? Maybe?
I largely agree, but my recollection was that Crosby earned the nickname Crybaby due to how frustrated he’d get with the physicality he faced. In his early days he’d often be seen bitching to refs about non-calls. I think these teenage superstar tantrums partly inspired the more ego driven refs to start trying to humble young stars who mouth off, as we’ve seen Bedard and Celebrini get game changing penalties for just for talking back.
That’s pretty rare. Didn’t know what Celly said to get one but Bedards was earned.
Some funky standings:
from 1st place to last place in the Atlantic: 10pts
from 1st to last in the Metro: 9pts
from 1st to last in the Pacific: 10pts
from 1st to last in the Central: 33pts — from 3rd to last in the Central is 23 pts!!!
And Buffalo has their 10 game win streak snapped by (checks notes) Columbus?
there was an interesting discussion on the podcast, with Boyle making points about Celebrini double-shifting himself, and Warsofsky being OK with it. I’m not big on that. Macklin’s playing a lot of minutes and its game 41. He needs to be strong for NHL game 83 and beyond — even if turns out not to be this season, it’ll be the case for most of the rest of his career. I noticed it the two prior games, he had moments where he looked a bit fatigued and his game was a bit off. He definitely hit a wall last season.… Read more »
Goody telling Hagel and Guentzel they could have avoided all that bullshit if Moser dropped them when he was challenged was priceless. Reaves asked him to go, Ostapchuk asked him to go. Eventually you have to stop asking. Loved that response. Hitting Mack is one thing. Take liberties, and you should fear for your health for the rest of the outing.
Agreed! I wish we could get the audio of the shit talking that goes down in the penalty boxes