Sharks Do the Embarrassing For Once, Rout Sabres 6-2

BUFFALO — San Jose Sharks visit KeyBank Center to take on the Buffalo Sabres.

Timothy Liljegren and Nico Sturm and William Eklund and Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli scored, and the Sharks won 6-2.

Period 1

Looks like Sturm and Dellandrea have flip-flopped lines to start.

4 in: Smith just made back-to-back passes that I would’ve criticized him if they didn’t work, but that’s his talent for special plays. Deliberate on entry, he attracts three Sabres, then hits Zetterlund by himself weakside for easy entry. Then, a backhand diagonal stretch pass to Zetterlund, I hate those haha! But Zetterlund was open, no problem. Obviously, not every risk will pay off, I wonder what the ratio was like for a Patrick Kane in his prime? Like 19-of-20 good? I don’t remember. But it is a reminder, not every risk is going to pay off, and that’s OK.

6 in: Sleepy start for San Jose Sharks, Tage Thompson roars in for a good chance. Georgiev sharp so far. He’s a guy who has handled a heavy workload before. Before that, Sturm in neutral zone forecheck, hangs back.

SHOT 👏 BLOCKER 👏

Marc-Édouard Vlasic is now the all-time leader in blocked shots in the @NHL. pic.twitter.com/udaAKO5fBR

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 5, 2025

10 in: Mukhamadullin blocks the shot, skates it up, shot. Want more of that from him, potential is there.

9 left: “He attacks,” Berube said of Celebrini. It’s simple, but that’s a perfect description of Celebrini’s offensive philosophy, always attacking. Attacking isn’t always shooting either, it’s Celebrini’s penchant for the quick pass into the slot.

Kostin on PP2, hits a post. Two posts on that power play for the Sharks, the other for Celebrini.

6 left: Eklund on top of Byram on forecheck, outstanding work, chance and draws a penalty.

5 left: Celebrini misses a backhand that he’ll want back. Great Toffoli pass, Mack just went wide with goalie beat. That said, Luukkonen putting on a show. San Jose Sharks power play has been good, they should be up 2-0.

1 left: What a Smith pass to Celebrini. Crossbar this time?

Clutch Georgiev save on Cozens 2-on-1. That would’ve hurt considering how well that the Sharks have played.

Period 2

Liljegren goal: Great feed by Eklund and great read by Liljegren, just attacks slot, Peterka takes too wide a turn and loses him.

2 in: Kostin just sonned Malenstyn in NZ, mugged him for puck. Love.

Jack Thompson penalty: Lifeline for the Sabres, who have looked dead since the Sharks’ first power play of the game. Buffalo looks like those three posts by San Jose in the first were goals.

4 in: Graf and Goodrow team up for the clear, good kill by them.

Peterka goal: Sabres able to move it side to side, Peterka drains the flank one-timer. Let’s see how Sharks respond, they were off to a good 5-on-5 start to period.

6 in: Good read by Wennberg as F3 to back off forecheck there, Toffoli and Eklund were in deep, but weren’t coming out with it. Wennberg in good defensive position as Sabres try to come out.

8 in: Good Graf effort on forecheck, Byram takes it, but Graf persistence at least doesn’t allow for counterattack, Byram eats the puck.

10 left: Liljegren just bullied Power, love to see it.

8 left: Smith pressure seems to force Byram to cough it up to Luukkonen. Not much of a trade audition from Byram tonight haha.

Goodrow penalty: Anecdotally, I think Goodrow was taking too many penalties earlier in season, but had cleaned it up a bit. Will have to double-check. But that’s not a good one, big kill.

After starting to give Celebrini PK time closer to break, San Jose Sharks seem to have backed off that.

4 left: Good effort by Dellandrea to get it out. Sharks were wheezing there after Mukhamadullin icing.

Sturm goal: That’s a huge one! Gets a bounce off a Sabre, but Sharks enter because of Kostin, who hits Graf cross-ice on entry. Not a headline play from Kostin, but key. Graf makes a stutter-step move, gets in deep, his pass hits a Sabre and to Sturm.

1 left: Whoa Celebrini just dominated that entire shift. 200 feet of terror for Sabres fans. Started with smooth-as-butter entry, and jacking Samuelsson in the corner.

Period 3

1 in: Jack Thompson can’t get it out, and Sabres attack, but Georgiev stands tall.

Eklund goal: Bad angle shot, Luukkonen gives in. Love the reinforcement of just get it on net. Shot mentality.

5 in: Cozens bang-bang, Georgiev save. Cozens looks up. Georgiev hasn’t faced a lot of shots, but when he has, they’ve been good chances.

6 in: Brilliant breakaway stretch from Celebrini to Smith, Smith just doesn’t have the speed yet to pull away.

Tage Thompson goal: Kunin loses his stick, so almost a power play-like situation. It’s a little long and off-angle, but it’s a Thompson one-timer too.

Celebrini goal: And the hockey gods smile! Smith pass to Mukhamadullin, hand off to Celebrini, who blows it past the goalie.

9 in: Love that Eklund steal high.

9 left: Small play, but love that NZ Kostin sticking the puck up, Sturm dive to get it in. That’s winning hockey, that extra effort.

Smith goal: A little earlier, maybe Celebrini shouldn’t try that drop on entry to Smith, but what a shot by Smith on counterattack. Zetterlund intercepted centering pass after Celebrini turnover.

Home fans booing their team because of how good #SJSharks have been (and how bad their team has been).

Read that sentence again & savor it, Sharks fans. Hopefully, it's a preview of years to come

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 5, 2025