The Sharks beat the Lightning 2-1 for their 1st home win since November

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Toffoli and Mario Ferraro scored and the San Jose Sharks snapped an eight-game winless streak by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Thursday night.

Toffoli used a nifty toe drag to score his 15th goal of the season midway through the first and Ferraro added a goal in the second to give the Sharks their first home win since Nov. 29.

Yaroslav Askarov made 24 saves.

San Jose was 0-7-1 in its last eight games and had just one win in 12 games in a stretch that started with an 8-1 loss at Tampa on Dec. 5.

Anthony Cirelli scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 23 saves.

Lightning: Tampa Bay had won six of eight headed into this three-game California swing but wasn't able to generate much against San Jose.

Sharks: After being completely outclassed in the loss at Tampa last month, the young Sharks looked much better on home ice against one of the NHL's top teams

The Lightning had a chance to tie it in the third period when Macklin Celebrini was sent off for roughing. During the power play, Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman got hit in the ear by a clearing attempt that went right to Barclay Goodrow for a breakaway. Vasilevskiy made the save but Hedman had to go straight to the locker room as he was bleeding from the ear.

Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic played in his 1,297th career game and first of the season after being sidelined by an upper-body injury. Vlasic had the primary assist on Toffoli's goal and needs three more games to join Nicklas Lidstrom (1,564 for Detroit) and Ray Bourque (1,518 for Boston) as the only defenseman to play 1,300 games for one franchise.

The Lightning visit Los Angeles on Saturday night, while the Sharks host New Jersey that day.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Nick Paul is checked into the boards by San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov allows a goal by Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (41) fights with San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) is congratulated by teammate after scoring a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) looks back as the puck goes into the net for a goal by San Jose Sharks center Tyler Toffoli during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

San Jose Sharks center Tyler Toffoli, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring a gaol against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Franco Colapinto says replacing another Formula 1 driver during the season is “never nice circumstances” and he doesn’t believe his five-race deal with Alpine is long enough.

After Australian rookie Jack Doohan was dropped amid wider upheaval at Alpine, Colapinto was promoted from a reserve role last week to partner Pierre Gasly starting this week at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Colapinto, who drove nine races with Williams last year, has a commitment from Alpine that he'll get only the next five races to show what he can do. He said that might not be enough time to shake off the rust.

“Everything is new again, we start from zero," Colapinto said Thursday. "Of course, it wasn’t the nicest, after doing the last nine races of last year, to kind of step out. It was not what I wanted, but it was a good time to kind of reflect on what happened last year and to learn from it.

“Happy to be back, and of course never nice circumstances when it happens like this, when you step in another driver’s seat, but you never really choose the moment you do it in Formula 1.”

The 21-year-old Colapinto is back in Italy where he made his F1 debut last year when Williams dropped struggling American driver Logan Sargeant before the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

This time, the Argentine says he feels more relaxed — even if he is “a bit rusty, maybe” — and delighted to be back, with strong backing from South American fans.

“Monza was like a massive excitement and everything was new, and it was the first time I was going to be a part of a Formula 1 week," he said. "So here it feels a bit different. It’s still my dream come true so the feelings are the same.”

Alpine has promised Colapinto only five races followed by “a new evaluation” in July, so he needs to make the sort of quick impact he did with Williams last year, scoring points in his second race.

Still, he said, that might not be enough for Alpine to see him at his best. Colapinto flagged up comments this year by the experienced Spanish driver Carlos Sainz Jr. that he might need as many as 10 races to get used to his new car after switching from Ferrari to Williams.

“After you’ve heard Carlos saying that he needs 10 races to get used to a car, I think five is not enough for me (after) I drove nine in all my life in F1,” Colapinto said. “So it probably takes me a few more races, probably a couple more than five, to get up to speed and maximize everything out of the car. But it is what I have and I just want to maximize it, enjoy it and try to do the best for the team."

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Alpine driver Franco Colapinto of Argentina answers reporters during a news conference at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack, ahead the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Alpine driver Franco Colapinto of Argentina answers reporters during a news conference at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack, ahead the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Alpine driver Franco Colapinto of Argentina answers reporters during a news conference at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack, ahead the Italy's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)