The San Jose Sharks found their spark in Vancouver, snapping a three-game skid with a rousing 6-3 victory over the Canucks at Rogers Arena on December 27, 2025. It was a game packed with drama, milestones, and a much-needed sense of relief for a Sharks squad that had been searching for answers. The win nudged San Jose above .500, improving their record to 18-17-3 and boosting them to ninth place in the Western Conference standings. For the Canucks, the defeat marked their second consecutive loss after a promising four-game win streak, leaving them at 15-19-3 and 15th in the conference.
All eyes were on the Sharks’ rookie winger Igor Chernyshov, who seized the spotlight with his first NHL goal—a clutch tally that ultimately stood as the game-winner. Chernyshov’s third-period strike capped off a wild sequence and gave San Jose some breathing room at 4-2. But he wasn’t done. Chernyshov also picked up an assist on Macklin Celebrini’s insurance goal, notching a memorable two-point night. "It feels unbelievable to help the team get the win and score my first goal in the NHL," Chernyshov said, beaming in the postgame scrum, according to Sharks Hockey Digest.
The Sharks came out flying, showing a structure and energy that had been missing in recent outings. Ryan Reaves opened the scoring just over six minutes in, stuffing home a loose puck after Vincent Iorio’s point shot trickled through Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko. For Iorio, it was a special moment as he notched an assist in his first NHL game in his hometown of Vancouver. Momentum was firmly on San Jose’s side when John Klingberg doubled the lead less than two minutes later, his wrist shot sneaking through Demko’s five-hole after a clean face-off win by Macklin Celebrini.
The Canucks, however, weren’t about to roll over in front of their home crowd. Former Sharks prospect Linus Karlsson trimmed the deficit with a power play tap-in, courtesy of a slick cross-ice pass from Conor Garland. It was the kind of response Vancouver needed, especially with their defensive struggles this season—ranking 26th in the league for goals allowed at 3.4 per game.
San Jose’s William Eklund restored the two-goal cushion midway through the second period. After a chaotic sequence in front, Eklund got a stick on the puck before it deflected off a Canucks defender and into the net—an own goal, but Eklund was credited for his efforts. The Sharks’ power play, which had been under the microscope, finally converted, finishing the night 1-for-5. Still, special teams remained a work in progress, as their penalty kill went 3-for-4 and continued to miss the presence of the injured Vincent Desharnais.
The third period opened with a bang as Marco Rossi scored just 36 seconds in, slicing the Sharks’ lead to 3-2 and injecting new life into Rogers Arena. But then came Chernyshov’s big moment. On the tail end of a power play, the rookie finished off a slick 2-on-1 rush, burying a pass from Adam Gaudette to make it 4-2. The Sharks’ bench erupted, and the relief was palpable.
Yet, the Canucks refused to go quietly. Drew O’Connor pounced on a shorthanded opportunity, beating Sharks netminder Yaroslav Askarov over the glove to pull Vancouver within one. Askarov, who’s faced his share of criticism for an .868 save percentage and a 4.53 goals-against average over his last seven outings, rebounded with 23 saves on the night, holding the fort in the game’s tense moments.
San Jose’s scoring leader, Macklin Celebrini, wasn’t about to let his point streak end. The Vancouver native extended his run to seven games with a goal and an assist, including a late third-period snipe that put the game out of reach at 5-3. Chernyshov picked up the primary assist, capping his breakout performance. Collin Graf sealed the win with an empty-netter, his second goal in as many games.
For the Canucks, there were bright spots despite the loss. Karlsson, Rossi, and O’Connor all found the scoresheet, while Kiefer Sherwood continued to be a threat at home, having notched points in five of his last nine games at Rogers Arena. Elias Pettersson returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an upper-body injury, and though he was held off the scoresheet, his mere presence gave Vancouver a needed boost. Demko was busy in net, turning aside 31 shots as the Sharks outshot the Canucks by a wide margin.
Both teams entered the contest with defensive question marks. San Jose had allowed 128 goals this season (3.5 per game, 31st in the NHL), while Vancouver wasn’t far behind at 122 goals against (3.4 per game, 26th). High-scoring affairs have been the norm for both squads; the Sharks had hit the over on 6.5 goals in five straight games, and the Canucks had done so in their previous two. Oddsmakers favored a shootout, and the teams didn’t disappoint, combining for nine goals on the night.
Injuries played a role for both sides. The Sharks were missing Vincent Desharnais, Will Smith, Timothy Liljegren, and Philipp Kurashev, all with upper-body ailments. The Canucks were without Derek Forbort, Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger, and Guillaume Brisebois, while Pettersson’s return was a welcome sight for Vancouver fans.
Looking at the numbers, Celebrini continues to dazzle in his rookie campaign, now with 55 points (19 goals, 36 assists) in 37 games and averaging over 20 minutes per night. For the Canucks, Karlsson’s power play marker was his first against his former club, while Sherwood’s home-ice consistency remains a positive.
As the Sharks head back to San Jose, they do so with renewed confidence, having finally broken their losing streak and seen young talent like Chernyshov and Celebrini step up in crucial moments. Vancouver, meanwhile, will need to regroup and address their defensive lapses if they hope to stay in the playoff hunt in the crowded Western Conference.
This game had it all—rookie heroics, special teams drama, and a flurry of goals. If this is a sign of things to come, fans on both coasts are in for a wild second half of the NHL season.
