Farabee scores winner, Flames end five-game skid with win over Sharks

By Canadian Press on January 31, 2026.

CALGARY — Joel Farabee’s short-handed goal at 6:53 of the third period snapped a 2-2 deadlock and lifted the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin, both with their 12 goals of the season, also scored for the Flames (22-26-6), who snapped a five-game losing streak. Calgary trailed 1-0 and 2-1 during the game.

Will Smith and Adam Gaudette scored for the Sharks (27-22-4), who have lost two in a row and four of their last seven.

Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 39 of 42 shots in the Sharks’ net, while Dustin Wolf stopped 23 shots for the Flames.

TAKEAWAYS

Sharks: Macklin Celebrini’s three-game point streak was snapped (three goals, four assists). While recently acquired LW Kiefer Sherwood (upper body) remains out, San Jose did welcome back LW Philipp Kurashev (upper body, 19 games) and D Shakir Mukhamadullin (undisclosed, 10 games). Sherwood, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 19, hasn’t played since Jan. 10, but he’s back skating with the team.

Flames: Wolf’s best stop came off Celebrini with 21 seconds remaining when he stuck out a pad to stop the Sharks sniper after he was set up all by himself in front of the net. It’s Calgary’s first victory since the club traded defenceman Rasmus Andersson. They had been 0-3-2 since that trade with only seven goals scored before Saturday.

KEY MOMENT

Fifteen seconds after Calgary’s Nazem Kadri was penalized for slashing, Farabee broke the 2-2 tie with the Flames’ league-leading eighth short-handed goal. Mikael Backlund’s slapshot missed the net, but the rebound caromed right back out front where Farbee knocked a backhand through Nedeljkovic’s pads.

KEY STAT

Wolf, who hails from Gilroy, Calif., continues his dominance against the teams from his home state, improving to 16-2-2 against the Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks. He’s 9-2-0 against San Jose.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Flames: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2026.

Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press

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