San Jose Sharks
Graf Nets Pair of Goals, Sharks Win 1st Celebrini-Bedard Match-Up
The San Jose Sharks take on the Chicago Blackhawks at SAP Center.
Will Smith and Collin Graf (twice) and Tyler Toffoli scored, and the Sharks pulled out a 4-2 win (or loss) in the race for Schaef.
Period 1
Ferraro closes, Mukhamadullin gets the puck and advances it, offense. That’s a formula that the Sharks hope to see more of next year.
Smith goal: Eklund took a hit to make a play, get it to the center lane. Celebrini just tees up Smith, who lights up a one-timer past Knight. Except for Toffoli, Smith might have the best goal-scoring shot on the team.
7 in: Graf backcheck on Bedard, steal. Wasn’t Graf’s best offensive shift, but there’s an example of why he’s gained esteem in the franchise’s eyes. Then Smith holds off Kaiser down low, that’s nice work, seems to me Smith is stronger.
9 in: Huge Georgiev save on Donato, Eklund low to high pass to encroaching Liljegren hops over the stick, creating 2-on-1. Eklund tracks back hard to force Donato to his backhand, but still a great chance.
Graf goal: Think it was Ferraro who kept the puck in. Beaut work, Graf backs up in slot to get open after crashing net, Wennberg pretty feed.
8 left: San Jose Sharks all over Hawks, love Mukhamadullin being in the middle of all of it. Great shift from 70’s Line.
7 left: There’s a frustrating Kostin play. Set up in the slot, make a play there, he holds, looking for the perfect play, and is cut off. Nobody is expecting him to commandeer the slot like a Keith Tkachuk, maybe only himself. But don’t get cut off and lose all steam there. “Forget the perfect play, just make a play” sounds like a solid coaching slogan.
Gregor penalty: Big spot for a struggling Sharks PK, can they keep a 2-0 lead going into second? Didn’t look like much of a hold to me. Giles getting some PK shifts for the first time, as promised.
Period 2
Nazar goal: Well, not on the PK at least. Nazar uses Ferraro as a screen, but I think you’d like Georgiev to pick it up, it wasn’t a rifle shot. Remenda just credits Nazar FWIW, so maybe I’m wrong. Was off the post and in.
Dickinson penalty: Celebrini hit high in the back by Dickinson, goes hard into the boards. Cheap-looking hit, there was a call, Celebrini comes up in some discomfort, but he looks OK, he’s on the power play. Vlasic goes up to Dickinson afterwards, and it looks like Blackhawks captain Foligno passes by Celebrini and asks if he’s OK.
Graf goal: I liked Celebrini’s entry, changing pace on speed to gain zone, not all-out as we’re accustomed to. That’s what the coaches want from him to. Looks like Smith shanked a shot, goes right to Graf, right place, right time.
9 left: Really liked that Kostin shift. Runs legal pick in OZ corner so Kovalenko could grab puck, almost shovels cross-slot pass to Kovalenko for put-in, just basic big boy hockey.
Goodrow doesn't get enough credit for how he's stood up for his guys this year, he's been the go-to guy.
He's said it's been an all-year commitment, I've personally noticed it especially since the Stenlund board, Goodrow first to step up to the plate
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 14, 2025
Mikheyev goal: San Jose Sharks lose net front guy, maybe thinking ahead of offense, leaving the zone a little early.
1 left: That’s not a good drop pass by Smith, if that’s what he was trying. Puck might have slipped too. But he was the only Shark on entry, close game, he had puck but no help, no one close. Eat the puck along the wall or get it in deep, don’t feed the counterattack in a one-goal game with less than a minute left.
Let’s see if the Sharks can close this lead!
Period 3
Celebrini was wide-open for just a sec in front of Knight, but Eklund couldn’t get it over.
2 in: Back-to-back big Georgiev saves, after Smith couldn’t settle down a puck along the wall for exit. Smith does get it in deep, as he should, when he has a lone foray into zone later. Sharks were changing.
4 in: Beaut Ferraro stretch to Smith for 2-on-1 with Graf, big Knight save.
7 in: Long bomb Smith stretch pass to Graf, love it if it works, but it doesn’t, so you got a tired bunch out there after an icing. After a minute-long shift. Sharks survive.
5 left: Kaiser catches Graf from behind on his hat trick breakaway bid. Just a little more speed and strength, hopefully next year…but his leap has been very impressive and surprising this season.
4 left: Mukhamadullin gets the puck, skates up, gets it deep, small play, but feels like he’s just reacting now. No hesitation in his game, he’s become, granted after roster depletion at Deadline, genuinely the Sharks’ No. 2 defenseman.
Sharks win!!!! Glad to see the team stick up for Celebrini, but come on… A cross check to the back of the head only gets two minutes?
The league’s gotta protect the players brains better than that. Hockey is such a cool sport, but the NHL could improve in so many ways.
It was a pretty incidental play. Not like Gary Suter trying to end Paul Kariya. More like a reckless high stick than a cross check to the head.
I guess so. Just cuz you can think of worst examples from another era, doesn’t mean this wasn’t egregious in todays game. The sport has to grow.
I’ve been confident since very early in the season that Celebrini is better than Bedard, but it doesn’t help that Bedard has no-showed both games at the tank this season. If I wasn’t looking for him I’d hardly know he was there. Celebrini hasn’t played a game all season where he’s been as little involved as Bedard these two games. Couldn’t believe Smith had a 2-on-1 with Graf, sitting on two goals, and shot it himself. I don’t have the best angle on it from my spot so maybe pass wasn’t there so much, but take a shot that can… Read more »
Michov is better than all of them.(Insert sarcasm here)
There’s probably not anyone here who can hold a grudge like I can so I doubt anyone remembers this. But Chris Rooney loves getting star players out of games. He’s the referee who gave Thornton a ridiculous game misconduct in his return to Boston. Then the 10-minute version to Bedard tonight.
I’ve hated that man for almost 20 years.
I remember that game! I didn’t realize it was same ref. That was such a huge disappointment to have a ref rob two excited fanbases of a showdown. Tonight’s was different entirely but I see your point. Bedard had plenty of clock to make something happen and just….didnt.
Yeah, totally different contexts between the two things, but Rooney still did the thing. I enjoyed Bedard sitting, didn’t feel robbed of a chance to see more. And I liked that it was with 10:50 left, so instead of going to the room Bedard had to just sit in the box all that time and come out with 30 seconds left.
Michov is better than both of them. (Insert Sarcasm here)
Sharks Win! Couldn’t ask for a better outcome. Mack wins round 1 vs Bedard, who takes a big 10-minute misconduct penalty with 10:50 left in the game.
Case closed Mack>Bedard.
Sharks rebuild> Chicago rebuild
Sheng, can you do some digging into Mack next couple days? He seemed like either his wrist or hand was jacked up and didn’t seem to shoot much last 40 mins of game?
Who is this Twogiev? Where’d he come from?
Granted it was the Hawks…
Team D played well enough, liking Vinny D’s game. He’s what the Sharks needed on D more size. Like it he’s here for another year.
I kinda hope they’d lose to almost lock up the top lottery spot. But nice to see the win. Fun game to watch, too. Said it recently, Graf and Mukh are in the NHL to stay. Another nice night for both. Even with the scores, seeing Graf take the puck from Bedard might have been his best moment. Up until late in period 2, Bedard was mostly invisible. Macklin was easily the better player. Thought Levshunov was pretty good for a guy that young on defense. Something like his 2nd or 3rd NHL game. Did think that Celebrini needed to… Read more »
We were 6 pts behind Chicago with a reverse game in hand, so they could afford to win tonight. It might have sealed the top spot in the lottery, but probably also caused my own sanity to further slip.
These are the games I think the Sharks win regularly next year. They’ve probably left 30 pts on the table, maybe more, where the win was right there. And it’s why I think next season is going to be a big improvement
Better for Mack to get the psychological advantage over Bedard early and often as the alpha #1 pick in the West. There will be plenty more games for us to lose against teams that actually have some structure to their game (something Chicago is lacking in a major way). SJ has the 3rd toughest schedule in the league the rest of the way. We will be fine to lose plenty.
Graf keeps impressing game after game. He’s got a little Celebrini in him in that he’s got a good motor and keeps his feet moving. But to that point, Celebrini’s motor is pretty unparalleled. He never stops and when you could’ve sworn it was someone else that was getting to a puck in a play that he stated and realize that it’s Cele, I just shake my head in admiration that we get to watch this guy for a long time.
They showed a stat on the board last night around 2nd intermission of skating distance, and Celebrini led all skaters, but the 2nd closest was behind by .2 miles. He skated 1000ft more than anyone else. This is why he gets the results he does on top of his absolutely ridiculous skill level.
Pretty obvious watching the game that Bedard isn’t in the same stratosphere as Celebrini when it comes to playing hockey. He can cherry pick some points with his immense skill, but he’s a total losing player and looks totally unengaged most of the time he’s on the ice. Think the more fair debate might be Smith vs Bedard moving forward. With Smith on 65 point per 82 pace since Christmas, he’s been scoring at Bedard’s season long pace over the last 30 games. Just had a slow start in October/November. Kudos to Warso and Co. in the player development group… Read more »
Might call it pond hockey, but the way I’ve put it to people before is that Bedard plays a boy’s game. Has some dangle and a nice shot, and? After the TNT crew got on his case earlier this year, one of the Chicago Athletic writers wrote an article with a lot of video clips breaking down that same game where he showed a lot of good Bedard did that I found interesting. But still, I just am never impressed watching him. I’ve never heard anyone make any of the “You see how hard he works, he wants to be… Read more »
Where it is most evident to me is that every time Celebrini is on the ice, you notice his shifts. He’s always around the puck and you just know he’s playing in the game. It took until late 1st period last night to ever hear anything from a play by play perspective about Bedard and he was mostly invisible other than being hemmed in his own end for minutes at a time. When the puck gets on Bedard’s stick, he’s immensely skilled and capable of the highlight reel play, but he doesn’t seem to be part of the game when… Read more »
For sure. Basically like I said in a comment early in the thread after the game. If I wasn’t looking for him I’d hardly know he was there.
Well said. Honestly, right now I’d take Smith over Bedard in a heartbeat.
I’d be curious how much better Bedard would be doing if he were in the Sharks system. I love Will Smith and I’d absolutely take him over any Not Bedard in that 2023 draft class, but I don’t know what other contributing factors explain what we’re seeing. We’ve now seen Bedard in person twice at the tank and honestly both time I almost forgot he was on the opposing team. I always thought Celebrini was going to be better because I personally prefer 200 ft guys, and Celebrini surprised everyone with how elite his hockey IQ, stick handling, shot and… Read more »
I just don’t know if a Marner or someone like that is going to elevate the warts of Bedard’s game. He needs someone that will drag him into the fight and get on him when he’s being soft while also being skilled enough to keep up with him. Buddy of mine knows some of the Hawks players and they don’t seem to think that highly of him in their room.
If we’re cherry picking, let’s go with 20 pts in the last 19, starting with his Boston homecoming