The San Jose Sharks found themselves in the thick of the playoff race once more, thanks to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night at the Honda Center. The game was a showcase for 19-year-old sensation Macklin Celebrini, who notched a goal and two assists, extending his point streak to eight games and solidifying his spot among the NHL’s elite teenage scorers. With this latest performance, Celebrini became just the third player to hit 60 points this season, achieving the milestone in only 39 games—a feat never before accomplished by a teenager prior to New Year’s Day in league history.
It wasn’t just Celebrini making waves. The Sharks, who have now won two straight and improved to 19-17-3, relied on key contributions from Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund, and Zack Ostapchuk—each of whom found the back of the net. Ferraro’s first-period goal marked his 100th career NHL point, an achievement that drew a swarm of teammates for a celebratory huddle on the ice. "It’s a special moment," Ferraro said, reflecting on his milestone. "But the most important thing is that we found a way to win, even when things didn’t go our way."
Despite the final score, the game was anything but comfortable for San Jose. The Ducks outshot the Sharks by a staggering 43-13 margin, dominating possession and creating chance after chance. Goalie Yaroslav Askarov stood tall in the crease, making 38 saves—including several highlight-reel stops in the waning minutes—to preserve the victory. The Sharks blocked five shots in the final 3:18 and killed a late tripping penalty to John Klingberg, showing the kind of grit that’s often the difference in tight playoff races.
"Yaro was unbelievable tonight," said Sharks forward Alexander Wennberg, who registered two assists. "We gave up way too many shots, but he bailed us out when we needed it most. That’s what good teams do—they find a way, even if it’s not pretty." Wennberg, for his part, continued his own hot streak, tallying 13 points in 13 games this month, second only to Celebrini’s 23.
The first period set the tone for the night: Ferraro opened the scoring at 10:43, finishing off a slick feed from Wennberg for his milestone point. Anaheim responded just over four minutes later when a miscue behind the net by Askarov led to a wraparound goal from Troy Terry. But Celebrini restored the Sharks’ lead with just 48 seconds left in the period, redirecting a pass from Wennberg past Ducks starter Lukas Dostal. It was Celebrini’s 21st goal of the season and gave San Jose a 2-1 edge heading into the first intermission.
The Sharks’ offense exploded early in the second. Chernyshov, who now has two goals and four assists in just six NHL games, capitalized on a turnover and beat Dostal with a slick backhand at 6:30. Eklund followed at 12:17, sniping home a no-look feed from Celebrini—a play that chased Dostal from the net after he allowed four goals on nine shots. Petr Mrazek entered in relief, but the damage was done. "That pass from Macklin was unbelievable," Eklund said postgame. "He sees the ice like few players I’ve ever been around."
Yet, the Ducks refused to go quietly. Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim’s leading scorer, deflected a Terry shot to cut the deficit to 4-2 late in the second. The third period saw the Ducks continue to press, with Pavol Mintyukov wiring a wrist shot past Askarov at 3:07 to make it 4-3. The tension inside the Honda Center was palpable—could the Sharks hold on?
San Jose’s answer came from an unlikely hero. Zack Ostapchuk, acquired earlier in the season, tipped a Vincent Iorio shot past Mrazek at 13:47 for his first goal in teal. That tally proved crucial, as Anaheim’s Troy Terry struck again just over two minutes later, finishing a beautiful feed from Mason McTavish to bring the Ducks within one with 4:02 remaining. With the goalie pulled and the extra attacker on the ice, Anaheim threw everything at the Sharks, but Askarov and the defense held firm, blocking shots and clearing rebounds until the final buzzer sounded.
The game was not without its drama. Early in the third period, Celebrini took a deflected puck to the face, sending him to the locker room with visible marks under his left eye. For nearly nine minutes, the Sharks played without their star center, but Celebrini returned with 6:13 left, drawing cheers from teammates and fans alike. "It’s hockey, things like that happen," Celebrini said after the game, sporting a few new battle scars. "You just want to get back out there and help the team. I’m glad I could finish the game."
There was concern for Adam Gaudette, who left after just one shift in the third period with an undisclosed injury. The Sharks will monitor his status as they prepare for a challenging three-game homestand, starting Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild, followed by matchups with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets. Every point matters as the Western Conference playoff race heats up, and San Jose’s recent surge has them clinging to the second and final wild card spot.
For Anaheim, the loss stings even more given their recent slide. The Ducks have now dropped three straight and seven of their last nine, falling out of first place in the Pacific Division. Goalie Lukas Dostal’s struggles continued, and the team’s inability to capitalize on their overwhelming shot advantage left head coach Greg Cronin searching for answers. "We did a lot of things right, but we’ve got to finish," Cronin said. "Their goalie was great, but we need to be more clinical in front of the net."
As the Sharks and Ducks split their season series so far—combining for 22 goals in two wild games—it’s clear this Pacific Division rivalry is alive and well. With both teams eyeing postseason ambitions, every meeting takes on added significance. The Sharks, buoyed by Celebrini’s historic run and Askarov’s steady presence, are proving they can win the gritty, ugly games that define playoff hopefuls.
Monday’s win was a testament to resilience, opportunism, and a little bit of luck. The Sharks didn’t have their best stuff, but with Celebrini leading the charge and Askarov locking things down, they found a way. Next up: a homestand that could define their season. For now, though, San Jose heads home with two crucial points—and a sense that something special might just be brewing in the Bay Area.
