The Sharks had little time to celebrate their win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday as the schedule maker had them square off against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena 24 hours after the victory. Detroit last played on Tuesday and had the rested legs in the contest. If tired legs equate to turnovers, then the Shark's tired legs were on full display. Detroit broke a 2-2 tie in the 3rd period with a standard and empty net goal to take a 4-2 decision.

San Jose's inability to control the puck with regularity would bite them. All 4 of the Red Wings goals came off turnovers. It has been the biggest hole in San Jose's game this season, but their offense has been able to dig that out of the holes created by their poor puck management.

The offense wouldn't save them in Detroit.

The two teams traded goals but not after the Red Wings opened the game with a full push. They tried bum-rushing the Sharks early, but it took a power play to get on the board.

A Mario Ferraro high sticking penalty setup the game's first goal early in the opening period. Alex DeBrincat scored an easy tap in goal after the Red Wings took advantage of Alexander Wennberg breaking his stick in defense of the Detroit man advantage.

The Sharks offense joined the party after a 9 minute defensive posture. The Sharks top line of Pavol Regenda, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith flipped the momentum by buzzing in the offensive zone.

Smith made his return to the lineup after a 13-game absence felt by pouncing on a loose puck in the Red Wings crease and bulldozing over the goal line 3 minutes after the DeBrincat goal. Celebrini pumped a shot on net from the high slot that Red Wings goaltender John Gibson got a piece of but did not control. The puck squirted over Gibson's glove and sat perched in the crease 6 inches from the goal line until Smith arrived to convert his 13th of the season.

Collin Graf continued to wield a hot hand by scoring his 14th of the season and 3rd in as many games 1:58 into the 2nd period. Nick Leddy carried the puck up the right wing boards then feathered a pass to the front of the net where Graf swooped in and tipped it past Gibson.

Poor puck management cost the Sharks at the 6:55 mark when a turnover in the neutral zone ended up in their net. Marco Kasper intercepted a poorly place clearing attempt by John Klingberg then raced up the left side and sent a diagonal pass through the slot to J.T. Compher for an easy deposit into a wide open net.

Sam Dickinson was forced to hook Albert Johansson with 1:40 remaining in the period to put the Red Wings on the power play. San Jose killed both the portion in the 2nd period and the 20 seconds that carried forward to the 3rd.

Detroit grabbed the 3-2 lead 4:41 into the 3rd period after yet another Sharks turnover. This time John Klingberg coughed it up on a clearing attempt from the end boards. Mason Raymond put a shot on goal that floated up into the air then landed in an open spot to the left of the goal where Dylan Larkin pumped a shot that Askarov was late to cover.

The play went to an officials discussion because referee Chris Schlenker never saw the puck.

The Sharks got their chance to even things up when Michael Rasmussen clipped Graf with a high stick at 11:34.

Tyler Toffoli setup William Eklund with a golden chance with 6 minutes left in regulation, but Gibson shut the door.

San Jose pulled Askarov with 2 minutes to play, but the turnover prone Sharks just helped pad Kaspar's stats as he potted an empty net goal to seal the win for Detroit.

Game Notes:

* Will Smith officially missed 13 games while healing up from the shoulder injury he sustained against Pittsburgh in mid-December.

* Former Red Wings defenseman Nick Leddy returned to the lineup, spelling Vincent Iorio, who had played in the last 9 games for San Jose. Iorio's penalty in Washington on Thursday night led to the Capitals only goal.

* Jeff Skinner and Ryan Reaves were also scratched on Friday night.

* Macklin Celebrini led all skaters with 7 shots on goal. Only 8 Shark skaters registered shots in goal in the loss. They put 22 recorded shots on John Gibson.

* John Klingberg and William Eklund both struggled in the contest. Klingberg had two big turnovers that led to Red Wing goals and Eklund fumbled the puck in key offensive opportunities all game long. Those two log too many minutes to be offensive ad defensive liabilities on the ice.