Couture, back from illness, scores winner

An ill Logan Couture was left home when San Jose beat Los Angeles on Wednesday, but on Thursday the alternate captain scored a tie-breaking goal early in the third period to lead the hosts to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Couture scored his 15th goal of the season 22 seconds into the final period and propel San Jose, which found its legs after a slow start, to a third straight win in front of a sellout crowd at SAP Center.

Couture’s sweeping shot from the bottom of the right circle slipped under the pads of Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy after Sharks teammate Kevin Labanc won a battle on the end boards and punched a short pass to Couture.

Sharks recent call-up Ryan Carpenter broke a scoreless tie 5:01 into the second period by scoring his second goal in his fifth game this season.

San Jose defenseman Paul Martin fed the rookie center with a short pass along the boards, and Carpenter let go with a one-timer from the top of the right circle that deflected off the right leg of Tampa Bay defenseman Nikita Nesterov and past Vasilevskiy on the hosts’ 12th shot of the game.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Lightning managed to convert on their first power play of the game after San Jose defenseman Brenden Dillon tripped Tampa Bay’s Brian Boyle at 5:37.