TAMPA, Fla. _ The Sharks' road game has officially rounded into form.
Patrick Marleau and Tommy Wingels scored in the first period and Marc-Edouard Vlasic added a power-play goal in the second as the Sharks earned a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, their third straight victory away from home on their six-game road trip.
Martin Jones was exceptional again, making 18 stops in the first two periods as he earned his third straight victory in his 11th straight start. The Sharks are now 5-4 away from home this season, as they handed the Lightning just its second loss at Amalie Arena.
Melker Karlsson did not play the final two periods as he suffered what appeared to be a lower-body injury in the first period, blocking a shot from Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman just 3:10 in the game.
Karlsson stayed in the game long enough to earn an assist on Wingels' goal with 9:56 left in the first that gave the Sharks a 2-0 lead.
For the Sharks' first score, Pete DeBoer used a coach's challenge that reversed a no-goal call on the ice.
Brent Burns sent a pass to Marleau near the Tampa Bay blue line. Marleau beat Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr to the loose puck and chipped it on net. As Marleau crashed the crease, the puck crossed the goal line, but it was ruled no goal on the ice due to incidental contact between Marleau and Lightning goalie Ben Bishop.
After DeBoer's challenge, though, off-ice officials determined Tampa Bay's Brayden Point made contact with Bishop, resulting in the puck crossing the goal line and a 1-0 Sharks lead.
Vlasic scored on the power play 8:52 into the second period after an effective forecheck from Tomas Hertl and Joonas Donskoi, his third of the season and the 50th of his NHL career. Only Dan Boyle (68) and Burns (92) have more as Sharks defensemen.
That was more than enough offense for Jones.
Since he was pulled early in the second period of last Saturday's home game against Pittsburgh, Jones shut out the Washington Capitals on Tuesday and allowed two goals to the Florida Panthers. He raised his season record to 8-6 with Saturday's win.
The Lightning had scored 18 goals in its previous five games before Saturday. Tampa Bay broke Jones' shutout bid in the third period, as Anton Stralman chipped the puck in with 14:17 to play in the third. But Jones responded after that, making four saves down the stretch, including a point-blank chance by Steven Stamkos with 6:41 to play.
