Celebrini Wins It in OT! Sharks Beat Wings 5-4

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Detroit Red Wings into SAP Center.

William Eklund (twice) and Tyler Toffoli and Luke Kunin and Macklin Celebrini scored, and the Sharks win 5-4 in OT.

Period 1

2 in: Quick start for the San Jose Sharks. Smith to Goodrow to Celebrini, not much neutral zone resistance, and Celebrini as he does, stickhandles his way to a good shot, one-on-one versus Jeff Petry. Then the fourth line, Grundstrom and Kostin apply the forecheck pressure. Kostin, like Walman, will have his reasons to want to show up his old team.

Sharks 6-0 shots to start.

Looks like Walman up with Ceci again, Thrun paired again with Rutta.

Larkin goal: Tough one, San Jose Sharks had been off to a good start. Walman won’t like that, his rim goes straight to Edvinsson. Turnover, Sharks defense is scattered, so Larkin all alone and he rips a high-skill backhand past Blackwood. That’s an impressive shot. Earlier on shift too, Granlund has the puck in OZ, had just jumped on, and he threw it down the wall for an unforced turnover. I’m not sure why he didn’t have more help from his teammates, if Granlund doesn’t ask them to stay close with him or something. No one was there to try to win it on the forecheck either.

Eklund goal: After an impressive pass to Zetterlund, Eklund special, he puts in trash from Wennberg shot. Great power play for that unit.

10 in: One pass too many by Kostin. You respect the unselfishness, but you’re in the slot, fire it.

7 left: Celebrini tries to do too much on exit, he’s lucky nothing came of it. Another one to learn from.

6 left: Awesome individual defensive effort by Granlund, sticks puck away from Edvinsson on the point, about to get a breakaway, forces the young defender to interfere with him. Sharks playing with a lot of energy to start, love to see it.

Ugly, Sharks get very lucky. Granlund has a poor touch on a pass back to the point, and Walman has to contend with a 2-on-1. Walman makes a desperate swipe for the puck, so it’s actually a 2-on-0, but somehow, Raymond heels a pass back to Larkin for a gimme. Not exactly, but a little like the Rangers game, Sharks playing a mostly strong period, but they should be up 1 or 2-0 instead of tied and on the penalty kill.

And now, the San Jose Sharks go to the box for a too many men on the ice. If they don’t win tonight, well, we’ll know why.

Kasper goal: Like I said, you can play great 5-on-5, but you gotta execute. Good energy, but way too many unforced mistakes so far tonight.

Period 2

What a toe save by Blackwood on Copp. Poor defense by the team in front of him to allow them right on rush.

2 in: That DZ blueline exchange by Sharks looked like playing quick to for quickness’s skate. Be precise.

Eklund goal: Eklund gets a bounce. He had a lot of Grade-A’s this season that didn’t go in, so that’s a hockey cards repayment. And…just put it on net!

7 in: Kostin finds Kunin on the rush for a good chance. Sharks trading a little too much though, I’ll say, rush for rush. But that was a good play.

Rasmussen goal: Ugly. Wennberg coming out of DZ corner is stripped, Rasmussen deflected puck goes off Thrun and in. For Wennberg, that just can’t happen.

9 in: Celebrini line having a great shift, all the forwards, but then Smith gets bodied by Berggren on wall, takeaway. Time and space, Smith looking better and better, but he’s still getting bodied by smaller players, so that might be his No. 1 area of ptential growth this summer.

10 in: Kostin just navigates his way into the zone, five Red Wings circling him, which is once again what he can do. Then he draws a penalty.

8 left: Like a lot of the Sharks, I think Celebrini has had a very sloppy game. Compher sticks it away high, Liljegren flat-footed, Compher has a shortie breakaway that luckily goes high.

Then Kostin tries a between the leg pass to Grundstrom in NZ, which misses. Say it alot, but you try that there, it’s gotta work, or coaches won’t trust you. I’ve liked Kostin tonight, but I guess, human nature, there’s a line between you’re playing well and feeling it to it goes too far and you’re overdoing it. That was an example.

6 left: Eklund with a fantastic shift there, love that he’s taken a more shoot-first mentality recently.

Toffoli goal: Like Toffoli delaying entry, old man game haha. Then Red Wings just fall asleep, Toffoli fades into higher slot, bam. Quintessential Toffoli goal there.

Period 3

1 in: Don’t know if Granlund planned to hit Ceci with that pass, but whoa, if he did.

2 in: Celebrini and Smith 2-on-1, they both set up each other with near chances. Roof would’ve gone off here if they had scored. Fun!

Kunin goal: Whoa! Beaut play on entry by Grundstrom, curls high, hits Kunin in stride, goal! That line has been really strong on the rush tonight, all of them.

9 left: Crowd loves it, great shift, Kostin with a sneaky move down low on Celebrini line. He’s played well since he’s come back in line-up. Smith and Celebrini get close again too, you know they want to connect on a goal together.

San Jose Sharks have…wait for it…dominated this period so far. Haven’t said that a lot this year, very impressed. They’re just taking it to a Red Wings team without a lot of answers right now. Sharks doing what teams did to them on the regular last year.

3 left: Sharks had two chances to clear on PK, didn’t, but rim skips over Raymond’s stick and out. But…

Raymond goal: It doesn’t go far out enough. Sharks can’t change. That hurts because San Jose had been playing outstanding hockey.

OT

Wennberg-Eklund-Ceci to start.