Celebrini Takes Rookie Goal Scoring Lead, But Sharks Lose 7th Straight

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Calgary Flames into SAP Center.

Macklin Celebrini scored, but the Flames edged the Sharks 3-1.

Period 1

Saw a Hertl Cali Fin jersey. Whoops. (He never wore it, they came out after All-Star break last year)

3 in: Zetterlund back on the ice, good news, left ice after getting hit high. San Jose Sharks off to a quick start, 6-2 shots through just four minutes.

4 in: That’s a good Askarov rim pass through two Flames to Goodrow high in zone.

Huberdeau goal:  There goes that good San Jose Sharks start. Kadri beats Sturm on the draw clean, point shot, Huberdeau deflection in slot.

5 in: Now Granlund has to leave the ice, maybe his skate blade or something got broken blocking a shot. He’s getting it worked on, on the bench.

Sturm is quick to jump on Pachdal, after Pachdal crushes Grundstrom open ice. Grundstrom heads into room. Big kill coming for Sharks, but no problem with Sturm taking the extra.

Just third fight of Nico Sturm’s career and his second as a Shark. Both fights as a Shark were against the Flames, in Dec. 2022, it was against Brett Ritchie, per Hockey Fights.

Flames have had last 11 shots, time to take back momentum.

7 left: Mukhamadullin fishes when he shouldn’t, gets Sharks caught 2-on-1, Askarov save on Backlund. Huge save, Zetterlund tracked back hard to try to even up.

Flames have had last 13 shots in last 12 minutes.

A lot of rebounds for Askarov, but still an impressive 16-of-17 so far.

Period 2

#SJSharks F Carl Grundstrom will not return to tonight's game.

— San Jose Sharks PR (@SanJoseSharksPR) December 29, 2024

Granlund-Celebrini-Toffoli-Wennberg-Zetterlund on PP1.

Celebrini goal: Just a rocket. Sharks needed that so bad. Zetterlund screen might have slowed Wolf side to side. Wennberg beaut move along wall to slip Pelletier. Remenda points out Toffoli soft pick to keep Coleman from chasing Wennberg.

Backlund goal: The big rebounds finally hurt Askarov. He was able to slide over and challenge Backlund, but Backlund found a hole.

7 in: Live to fight another day play by Smith, just glass and out. Sometimes, you gotta do that, good to see.

Goodrow penalty: Looked like a hold to me, though Goodrow doesn’t love it. What a save by Askarov on the delayed penalty I think. Doesn’t even see it. Luck too, of course.

8 left: Rooney had an open net, Rutta tipped it away. Askarov stick tapped Rooney afterwards haha not sure what that was about.

Smith had a half-step on Bahl, but couldn’t separate and then overpowered for puck. Credit to Smith for hanging in there, didn’t lose the puck, more 50-50. That’s 100 percent a play that a faster, stronger Smith will be able to turn into something more in the future.

3 left: Great shift by Celebrini line. Good work by all. Smith does nice job along wall, puck coming, he’s not going to outmuscle Pachdal for it, he knocks the d-man off balance so at least Calgary can’t control, puck will go toward Celebrini. Saw Eklund do that his rookie year. Smith surviving. I mean that in a good way.

Despite PP goal allowed, much better period for the San Jose Sharks. Seemed to wake up after Celebrini goal. Flames 9-8 shots, after 17-7 in the first.

Period 3

3 in: Good drop pass by Zetterlund on PP to his No. 1 option Celebrini. He had to do it at a bit of an angle. A little earlier on PP, I laughed, Askarov stretched it to Celebrini, but it was too Celebrini skating in his direction, trying to build speed for the drop pass entry. Not sure that’s in the Sharks PP breakout playbook. I thought Celebrini was surprised.

6 in: Three Sharks passes in NZ, none are awful, but none connect. Need to be more precise, execute.

7 in: Strong Kostin shift. Finds Kunin in slot I think, then Liljegren weak side high slot. Sharks missed this Kostin.

8 left: Askarov coming out to play it behind the net, not sure if he even touched it, but he got in the way of the forechecker, just as effective. Subtle but useful.

4 left: Really good defensive play by Backlund, Celebrini charging up NZ, surveying options, clearly wants Smith, Backlund sniffs it out, deflects the pass. That hasn’t happened to Macklin a lot, he’s usually able to manipulate NZ when he’s on the rush like that.

3 left: Pospisil almost boards Granlund. Kostin goes right to him. Good for Klim for doing that.

Askarov pulled, Smith can’t get to pass back to point. No criticism, another stronger, bigger, faster, he’ll make that play soon.

Celebrini chasing down puck with seconds to go, locked up with Pospisil, actually really good play by Pospisil to keep it alive for ENG. Good to see Mack not hurt there.