Celebrini Returns, But Sharks Lose 6-4 in Pre-Season Finale

The San Jose Sharks visit Delta Center for their pre-season finale, taking on the Utah Mammoth.

Adam Gaudette, Tyler Toffoli, Barclay Goodrow, Will Smith scored, but the Sharks lost 6-4.

Period 1

Dickinson-Smith-Celebrini-Toffoli-Eklund is PP1. Followed by Leddy-Kurashev-Wennberg-Skinner-Cardwell. Seeing Celebrini start out in the bumper spot is interesting.

2 in: Askarov makes a 2-on-0 save! Remenda just called them the Utah Jazz haha.

Gaudette goal: Gaudette solo effort from NZ in, makes the Mammoth look bad, including ex-Barracuda defenseman Nick DeSimone. Backhand partial breakaway beats Vejmelka. Bottle that up!

Sergachev goal: Long Sergachev shot filters through traffic clean, Askarov can’t quite collect it, it sneaks through. Remenda puts it squarely on Askarov. Wonder if there is a debate for opening night starter like they’re suggesting on the air. No doubt that Nedeljkovic has been hot, outplayed Askarov. Up to that goal, I think Askarov has been pretty good.

Guenther goal: Guenther has one of the best one-timers in the game. On the Askarov-Nedeljkovic question, every goalie gives up bad goals, let’s see how Askarov bounces back. That’s what I’m curious about more tonight. In general, I have no questions about Askarov’s pure puckstopping ability, but the mental side feels more unproven.

Agozzino goal: The San Jose Sharks aren’t helping Askarov though. Skinner turnover at center ice, he’s got to be better, Mammoth come back on rush, Ostapchuk can’t quite contain Agozzino on an admittedly big rebound up the middle.

Yamamoto goal: Much smaller Yamamoto beats Dickinson to the slot for a re-direction, which is about as bad as it sounds.

6 left: Sharks look like they’re in shock. Mukhamadullin trying to skate it out by himself, pickpocketed. Have stopped playing basic hockey, every man for himself right now.

Reaves blows up Guenther, hopefully that gets Sharks going.

5 left: Not killing him for it, but now Cardwell tries to force NZ pass through to Skinner. Not a clear-cut turnover, but to a man, they’re playing some bad hockey.

2 left: FWIW the fourth line appears to be playing the closest to basic, smart hockey as Sharks can manage now. Warsofsky has praised Reaves’s positioning, obviously he can hit too. I’ve always liked Goodrow’s positioning. That’s not a small compliment. A line that’s playing smart, positionally-sound hockey can help to change momentum a little.

Period 2

Smith just missed a breakaway, the Sharks needed that.

Toffoli goal: Toffoli on the forecheck wins it, and Wennberg keeps it alive for him. Good work by a duo that had a lot of success last year. What a shot! San Jose Sharks needed a shot in the arm.

Goodrow goal: Starts with a simple Mukhamadullin first pass to Goodrow. Compare that to Liljegren flip earlier, Mukhamadullin’s linemates were in good position to receive a short, easy pass, they exited together. That’s connected. Then Goodrow and Gaudette give-and-go, Utah falls asleep, Goodrow all alone for re-direct goal. This was the only line that looked awake in the first period.

7 in: Celebrini everywhere on this shift. Feeds Smith in stride for a Grade-A. Expect to see more of that this season.

Yamamoto trips Dickinson, could’ve been called, but also don’t love Dickinson forcing the puck up there.

9 in: Think Liljegren has to give Cardwell a better exit pass there. Small things, but what holds a talented d-man from his full potential impact.

Smith goal: Starts with Dickinson almost losing it on the drop pass. Gotta play faster there. But Celebrini takes over on entry, then passes it between Cole’s legs, from one side of the net to the other, to open Smith. Ridiculous pass, how Celebrini manipulates Cole to open up. Celebrini was a cheat code on this power play.

Will Smith ties it up on a beautiful feed from Macklin Celebrini.
4-4 #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/zSTyYfaoZJ

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) October 5, 2025

5 left: Cardwell does good job to prevent Utah exit. Obviously, watching him close.

Askarov looks like he’s back on his game. Hasn’t faced a lot of rubber this period, but very good chances.

Period 3

2 in: One of things that I’ve seen from Eklund this pre-season, hopefully it keeps up, but his pace has been polished, knows when to give it up, when to make a play. Dumps it in, gets it back, finds Cardwell in the slot. Just seems sure of himself.

Messy play there, Dickinson steps up, turns it over briefly, but Mammoth recover and chug ahead, Dickinson behind. Cardwell does do good job of covering for Dickinson.

Keller goal: McBain provides one-man traffic, Keller point shot glances off Mukhamadullin in slot. Think Mukhamadullin might’ve high sticked McBain as puck went in, though broadcast says puck went off McBain’s throat.

7 in: Big side-to-side save by Askarov.

Then a big save on Stenlund. Sharks lost him on rush, looks like two defenseman got caught on one side of passer, Stenlund had step on Eklund.

8 in: Guenther deserves props for his game, goal, got up from a huge Reaves hit, just blocked a Dickinson blast.

9 left: Gaudette building up speed, I don’t think he’s the quickest, but when he gets going, is fast. Blueline to blueline entry there.

Tanev goal: Bad read by Ferraro, puck squirts slowly toward point, Ferraro bites, turns out he should’ve hung back. Tanev has a step, no one can catch him, blueline-to-blueline breakaway, disappointing.

7 left: Great keep-in by Toffoli on PP.

6 left: Cardwell misses the low-to-high PP pass there to Leddy. Small moment, but important.

Empty net attack faceoff, Sharks still opt for Wennberg there instead of Celebrini. Sign that Celebrini isn’t quite there as a faceoff man yet.

2 left: Good forecheck anticipation by Cardwell to jump the D-to-D pass behind Vejmelka.