Clunker in Chicago: Sharks Lose 6-3 to Hawks

CHICAGO — The San Jose Sharks take on the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center.

Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini and Shakir Mukhamadullin scored, but the Sharks couldn’t erase a 5-1 deficit and lose 6-3.

Period 1

2 in: Disappointing that second half of that San Jose Sharks power play, Blackhawks PK outworking them for puck. Hawks do have the best PK in the NHL.

3 in: Eklund on Moore on forecheck behind Knight, and Graf pounces when he sees a moment of weakness. Moore able to escape trouble, but watching those two on the forecheck should be interesting tonight.

Bedard goal: Hawks PP gets off to the right start. Triangle attack, low to high to low Bedard. Great puck movement. I don’t think Bedard got everything on shot, but he didn’t need to. He had so much time and space. Have to wonder, he wouldn’t admit it, but if I were Bedard, I’d use the Canada Olympic “slight” and all of Celebrini’s recent press as motivation.

8 in: Good job by Liljegren to outmuscle Donato off the puck one-on-one.

9 in: Dickinson gave Eklund that pass up the middle in a troublesome place. Something he’s learning to improve.

Another good recovery from Liljegren, hard forecheck from fourth line, Reaves bowled someone over, but the line wouldn’t keep the puck in, and the Hawks almost had an outnumbered.

Misa penalty: Not a good one from the rook. Could see that one a mile away. Solid kill by the Sharks though, hopefully build on this.

7 left: Graf takes a beat to wait for Misa out of box to get open, but offsides. Huge opportunity, that can’t happen.

5 left: Ferraro and Mukhamadullin do a good job taking the puck from Nazar and his line behind Askarov, getting it out.

Kurashev gets a nice round of applause when the scoreboard welcomes him back to Chicago

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 3, 2026

Wennberg penalty: Only 2-1 shots so far, so yay defense? But last two Sharks penalties, including this one, San Jose getting a little behind attacking Chicago. And first penalty was a too many men. Guys need another level.

3 left: Askarov stops the puck, Goodrow and Graf needed a PK’ing break. The misfortunes of penalty killing there, Goodrow makes a great cross-seam pass block, but it deflects right to Nazar’s shooting wheelhouse. Big Askarov save.

LOL I forgot about this year. So it's happened FIVE times previously, twice this year. That's crazy https://t.co/MGMu8jlIoq

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 3, 2026

Rarely do I eat something I’ve never even heard of in a pressbox: In Chicago, it’s sliced apples with a peanut butter dip. Is this a Midwest thing? Verdict: Who in the world eats this?

Period 2

Murphy goal: May have glanced off something? Askarov was screened multiple layers too.

Regenda penalty: Warsofsky says Sharks aren’t sick, but they’re playing like it. This is even worse than Calgary, offensively at least.

4 in: Good desperation stick by Desharnais to deflect low-to-high cross-slot pass ticketed for Bedard one-timer. That was a goal waiting to happen.

6 in: San Jose Sharks with a pulse, Regenda to Goodrow on rush after PK, then Sleepover Line has chances. Way Sharks are playing tonight, don’t feel like you can go down 3-0.

Donato goal: As I was saying…marvelous individual effort by Donato, highlight reels Desharnais, then beats Askarov. You need a save, it’s right there, great shot though. Donato always seems to kill his former team, there’s a chip on his shoulder from the Boughner year, I think.

Rinzel goal: Smith just misses a beaut breakaway, great Orlov lead pass, the move worked, but he didn’t have enough space but to shove it into side of net, just missed open net. At other end, Mukhamadullin routine pass to Orlov, just doesn’t connect. That can’t happen, whoever that’s on, or if it on both of them. It’s a simple rim back by Mukhamadullin, to be expected, there was not real forecheck pressure. Mukhamadullin missed the rim or Orlov was looking up at the forecheck and not ready, or both, just can’t happen. Rinzel all alone up high. It looks like, Mukhamadullin-Orlov mishap, Celebrini and Toffoli went to change because they thought it was a routine exchange, which was the right thing, that’s why they struggled to even up defensively.

Smith goal: An angry-looking shift from the top line, and they need it. Celebrini roars down the slot, missed shot has mustard. Celebrini beats everybody to his own loose puck, then a pass to Smith, from behind net, hits Knight but gets to the target.

Mikheyev goal: But angry hockey doesn’t mean good hockey. Ferraro can’t let that through, too easy. Puck-watching. Donato does a great job protecting puck low from Celebrini. This display, shocking that he’s not on a higher line.

Celebrini goal: Whoa, that’s an unstoppable shot. At least he keeps things interesting. Eklund on the forecheck, keeps puck alive, goes high to Toffoli. Toffoli feeds Celebrini circling slot, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen this, but Celebrini basically golfs a shot past Knight. Like almost no backswing, and it was hard. Murphy’s stick was about to get to Celebrini, which is probably why Celebrini pulled something out of his backpocket. Would love to know Murphy and Knight’s real thoughts about that show. Not to go on about Macklin in what’s shaping up to be an honestly devastating loss, but what a shot.

Period 3

Mukhamadullin goal: The San Jose Sharks needed somebody not named Celebrini to do something, and there it was. Kurashev with great patience, I’m sure there were fans shouting at him to shoot. Desharnais pinches high to Kurashev, lures two Hawks, finds Mukhamadullin in slot, what a finish by the big man.

3 in: Celebrini sure he kept that puck in. Replay shows…uhh, he might have.

NHL should probably give Celebrini playground rules from now on, let him call his own penalties, his own offsides 🤣

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 3, 2026

10 in: Nice Eklund steal on forecheck on Kaiser, Graf wires it, save. Sharks have at least found their game and legs, though might be too late.

Grzelcyk penalty: Sharks must score here, power play has been okay and generated some quality chances tonight, but it’s not enough.

8 left: Oh man, Celebrini had the look there. Just heeled it. Was just thinking, it doesn’t have to be Panarin, but power plays today, they simply need to surround Celebrini with more great players, or greatness has to come in development. Ironically, it’s Celebrini who heels the Grade-A off a great pass, but in all, it’s the truth. Smith and Eklund are just good now, and there’s a lot of good on the San Jose power play, but not enough elite.

Donato goal: Sharks have played a good period, but they’re slow to close on Donato off to side. In fairness to Liljegren, that was a soft rebound that was easy to lose. You might want the glove to close there, soft shot from Burakovsky to start?