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Sharks’ Olympic Round-Up, Day 1: Regenda’s Slovakia Upsets Finland, Celebrini & Crosby in Funny Ad

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It’s official: NHL players are back at the Olympics.

Four teams kicked off the men’s ice hockey tournament in Milan today, featuring two San Jose Sharks.

Let’s check in on all four of the San Jose Sharks’ Olympians.

Alex Wennberg

Team Sweden took down host country Italy 5-2 on the opening day of competition. Wennberg played 14:04 minutes between Pontus Holmberg and Gabriel Landeskog.

Wennberg is wearing No. 10 for Team Sweden, and he took the first face-off of the game.

While the Italians – who have zero NHL players on their roster – scored the first goal of the game, the Swedes dominated in shots on goal, leading 60-22. A goal from William Nylander late in the second period broke a 2-2 tie, separating the two teams for good.

“We had to work really hard, we had to play 100 percent all game,” former San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson said post-game. “And they made it tough for us out there. So it’s nice that we had to play a full 60 minutes today to earn this.”

Wennberg’s wife Felicia and kids also made the trip to Milan to watch him represent his country.

Next up for Team Sweden is Team Finland, looking for its first win of the tournament. The two countries will face off early on Friday at 3:10 a.m. PST.

Pavol Regenda

Pavol Regenda and Team Slovakia kickstarted the tournament with an upset.

Slovakia topped Team Finland 4-1, Regenda playing 15:28. Regenda – who won a Bronze medal at the 2022 Olympics, before he became an NHL player – drew in on the second line with Miloš Kelemen and Martin Pospíšil. Regenda also featured on the second power play unit for Team Slovakia.

Team Finland’s captain is former San Jose Sharks center Mikael Granlund.

The Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovský scored two and assisted on one of Slovakia’s four goals on the day.

Next up for Team Slovakia will be host nation Italy early on Friday at 3:10 a.m. PST.

Other Sharks…

The San Jose Sharks’ two other Olympians, Macklin Celebrini and Philipp Kurashev, will make their debuts tomorrow morning.

Celebrini – expected to play with Connor McDavid and Tom Wilson – and Team Canada will face Team Czechia at 7:40 a.m. PST, while Kurashev and Team Switzerland will play Team France at 3:10 a.m. PST.

Kurashev, who was the earliest Shark to arrive in the Olympic Village, joined a few of his fellow Swiss teammates at the Opening Ceremony, including former Shark Timo Meier.

But all eyes are on 19-year-old Celebrini, set for his Olympic debut. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis wrote about how Canada is about to fall in love with the young phenom.

Celebrini and Team Canada attended the short track speed skating Mixed Team Relay Event on Tuesday, witnessing Team Canada win Silver. The team was spotted in the crowd, as well as on public transportation on the way back to the Olympic Village.

Also, Celebrini and Sidney Crosby starred in this ad dropped by CCM Hockey today.

 

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