SAN JOSE -- A late-third-period sequence epitomized how the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks are going right now.

Detroit left winger Justin Abdelkader scored a tiebreaking goal with 6:52 remaining in regulation, just after San Jose narrowly missed on two glorious chances, and the Red Wings beat the Sharks 2-1 at SAP Center on Thursday.

"You hate to say that's the way it's going right now, but that's the way it's going," Sharks center Logan Couture said.

Abdelkader's 13th goal of the season came from the mid-slot, a perfect drive over the right blocker of San Jose goalie Martin Jones that smacked the back of the net just under the crossbar.

"It was kind of perfect timing to come down that slot," Abdelkader said. "I could really step into that."

San Jose had two chances denied by Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek (35 saves) just moments before the Abdelkader strike. First rookie left winger Joonas Donskoi had an effort in close that hit the post, and then Mrazek absolutely robbed right winger Joel Ward's backhand attempt out of mid-air.

"I kind of was going one way and I knew he was leaning, so I tried to stop and get the goalie fading a little bit," Ward said. "He made a save with his paddle there in mid-air.

"It's a quick surprise. You think you have a pretty good chance there, and they come back on the rush and score."

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said, "It's a fine line between winning and losing in the league. That was a huge save at a big moment. It's something I think (Mrazek) has done a good job of throughout his time. It was a huge, huge save."

The Sharks, who lost for the third time during the first four games of a five-game homestand, fell to a league-worst 5-12-0 at home. It continued the season-long trend at home in which the visitors have won all 12 games in which they scored first.

San Jose (18-18-2) outshot Detroit 36-25 but went 0-for-3 on the power play.

"Frustrating we didn't get points, but I liked our effort and I liked our response after the last game," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "(We had) two great chances to go ahead 2-1 just before they scored. That's the way things are going right now. We've got to be resilient and know if we play that way over the long term here, we'll be all right."

San Jose peppered the Detroit net with 16 shots in the first period but had to settle for a 1-1 tie at the first intermission.

The Red Wings jumped in front at 9:16 with a goal off the rush after the Sharks lost a faceoff in the Detroit end. Defenseman Danny DeKeyser joined the rush and got a step on a backchecking Ward to snap a shot from the left circle past Jones (23 saves) for his third goal of the season.

The Sharks struck at 10:57 of the first when Couture won an offensive-zone draw. Eventually defenseman Brent Burns took a flat-footed slap shot from the right point that hit Ward on the way past Mrazek. It was Ward's 11th of the season and first since Dec. 5.

"We're playing good hockey right now," Mrazek said. "We're playing smart, smart defensively. Don't give them many chances."

Despite the improved effort, it was another night at home searching for answers afterward in the hosts' locker room.

"Lose a game, you're disappointed and you need to do better," Couture said. "You can't take moral victories from games. This is a result-driven business. We have to win hockey games, and we're not doing that at home."

NOTES: Halfway through a six-game trip after its stop in San Jose, Detroit next travels to Anaheim for a game Sunday before closing out the trek in Los Angeles and Arizona. ... San Jose caps a five-game homestand Saturday against Toronto. ... D Brent Burns and RW Joe Pavelski were selected to represent the Sharks at the upcoming NHL All-Star Game. Rookie C Dylan Larkin will be the Red Wings' sole representative at the game. ... While San Jose was healthy, Detroit was without RW Johan Franzen (concussion), D Kyle Quincey (ankle), LW Teemu Pulkkinen (shoulder). ... The Sharks recalled backup G Alex Stalock from the AHL following a two-game conditioning stint, while G Troy Grosenick was returned to the San Jose Barracuda. ... RW Mike Brown rejoined the lineup to play on San Jose's fourth line after being a healthy scratch for consecutive contests. ... D Matt Tennyson and C Ben Smith were San Jose's healthy scratches, while D Jakub Kindl and C Joakim Andersson did not dress for Detroit.