Playing in his 400th career game, James Reimer made 34 saves, while Tomas Hertl and Erik Karlsson each scored, as the host San Jose Sharks beat the suddenly slumping Dallas Stars 2-1 on Saturday night.

Timo Meier and Alexander Barabanov each assisted on those goals for San Jose, which has won seven of its last 11 games. Making his first start since Nov. 30 after missing time with a lower-body injury, Reimer wasn't severely tested on the night, but he was solid enough to record his third consecutive victory -- ninth this season -- on his milestone evening.

Dallas matched a club record with seven straight wins before embarking on a three-game trip west that began with a 5-4 loss at Vegas and 4-0 defeat to Los Angeles. On Saturday, the Stars outshot San Jose 35-25, but didn't score until Michael Raffl's deflection at the 8:26 mark of the third period to make it a one-goal contest. However, they would not get closer and lost for the fifth time in six road games.

Dallas was the aggressor in the first period while outshooting the home side 14-6, drawing two power plays and hitting a post -- courtesy of ex-Shark Joe Pavelski. However, it was San Jose which managed to come through. Meier threw the puck at the net and it was Hertl, whose left leg got enough of it to trickle by Stars netminder Braden Holtby (23 saves) just 8:30 into the contest.

The shots were more even in the second period, but once again, it was San Jose that found the net. With Meier and Barabanov again in set-up mode, Karlsson took the puck at the high point and delivered a drive, through traffic, that cleared Holtby's left shoulder with 3:32 left in the middle frame.

Reimer appeared to be headed toward his second shutout in three starts, but Jani Hakanpaa drove his shot through some net-front traffic that Raffl was in position to redirect into the net.

Dallas played without leading goal-scorer Roope Hintz, who was out due to a non-COVID-19-related illness.

--Field Level Media