Tag: san jose sharks

San Jose Sharks celebration at SAP Center

Sharks Blitz Early, Handle Devils 5-2 | IHM News

Sharks Blitz Early, Handle Devils 5-2

by IHM Team | IHM News | San Jose, SAP Center

San Jose landed three quick punches in the first period and never let New Jersey breathe. William Eklund scored 42 seconds in, Philipp Kurashev and Alexander Wennberg added two more in a five-minute span, and the Sharks closed out a confident 5-2 home win.

Wennberg and Kurashev finished with a goal and an assist each. Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli also scored. Timothy Liljegren posted two assists, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 29 shots as San Jose collected its first home and first regulation win of the season. The Sharks have now won three of five and look more organized shift to shift.

For New Jersey, Dawson Mercer delivered both goals on the power play with Dougie Hamilton supplying two helpers, but the Devils could not overcome the opening ten minutes. After an eight-game heater, they have now dropped two in a row.

“Just compete and play. I liked our start and the maturity in the third,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said.

Game Flow

  • 1-0 SJ (0:42 1st): Eklund outraces the bounce and beats Jake Allen five hole.
  • 2-0 SJ (12:12 1st): Wennberg threads from the wall, Kurashev one-timer glove side.
  • 3-0 SJ (15:47 1st): Mario Ferraro shot deflects in off Wennberg.
  • 3-1 (19:00 1st): Mercer tips Jack Hughes puck in on the power play.
  • 4-1 SJ (16:50 2nd): Macklin Celebrini wins the draw, Smith scores on his own rebound.
  • 5-1 SJ (18:30 2nd): Dmitry Orlov wrister glances off Toffoli and in.
  • 5-2 (4:19 3rd): Mercer redirects Hamilton point shot on the power play.

Nedeljkovic credited the group in front: “We were detailed, blocked shots, good layers. A lot never got through.”

Coach Mark Lehtonen’s Take

“San Jose played to identity. Early pace, direct entries, pucks to the blue paint, and they protected the house for Nedeljkovic. For the Devils, this was not structure as much as urgency. When your first three shifts lose races and sticks, you chase. Special teams kept them alive, but five-on-five compete has to spike.”

IHM Verdict

Clean, professional home win for the Sharks with clear shot selection and middle-lane drive. New Jersey’s response after the first was better, but the opening blitz decided it.

Final: Sharks 5-2 Devils

Author: IHM Team | Commentary by Coach Mark Lehtonen

Martin Nečas Signs 8-Year Contract With Colorado Avalanche | IHM News
Celebrini Leads Sharks to 6-5 OT Win Over Wild

Celebrini Stays Red Hot as Sharks Beat Wild 6-5 in Overtime | IHM News

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 Leads Sharks to 6-5 OT Win Over Wild

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

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