by IHM Team | IHM News | October 27, 2025
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The San Jose Sharks’ young core delivered again, as Macklin Celebrini capped a three-point night with the overtime winner, sealing a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena on Sunday.
Celebrini, who also added two assists, extended his point streak to four games (five goals, five assists). The 19-year-old rookie was unleashed on a breakaway after goaltender Yaroslav Askarov kicked out a huge rebound, racing down the ice to finish calmly and silence the Minnesota crowd.
“I’m playing with really good players,” Celebrini said post-game. “We’ve been clicking, supporting each other – I just happened to be in the right spots tonight.”
Momentum Swings and Rookie Firepower
It was a rollercoaster game where the Sharks squandered multiple leads but refused to break. William Eklund tallied two goals and an assist, while rookie Michael Misa scored his first NHL goal on a rebound near the crease. “It’s the easiest first goal I could ask for,” Misa joked. “You just have to go to the net and good things happen.”
Despite their struggles this season, the Sharks showed character and composure – an element coach Ryan Warsofsky praised after the game: “We woke them up with some penalties, but we responded well. These kids are learning fast.”
Wild Fight Back but Fall Short
The Wild clawed their way back thanks to Joel Eriksson Ek’s late goal that tied the game 5-5 with under three minutes left in regulation. Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber each had three assists, while Ryan Hartman and Marco Rossi added a goal and an assist apiece. “We fought back hard,” Hartman said. “But we’ve got to clean up the defensive zone – we can’t give up that many rush chances.”
Head coach John Hynes echoed that frustration: “One mistake in overtime cost us. But we’ll take the positives – the battle level was there.”
Coach Mark’s Take
Coach Mark Lehtonen, exclusive analyst for IHM, shared his take on the thrilling finish:
“Celebrini looks more and more like a future franchise cornerstone – poise, timing, decision-making, it’s all there. You can tell this group’s building chemistry. But for Minnesota, it’s another example of how fragile confidence can be – six losses in seven games says everything.”
Final Score: San Jose Sharks 6, Minnesota Wild 5 (OT)
Next Game: The Sharks return home to face the Colorado Avalanche, while the Wild will try to rebound against the Winnipeg Jets.
Author: IHM Team | Commentary by Coach Mark Lehtonen
Category: IHM News | Date: October 27, 2025