San Jose Sharks
GOTTA SEE IT: Will Smith Calls Shot, Scores 1st Two NHL Goals
The wait is over.
San Jose Sharks center Will Smith saw a lifetime of hard work and dedication to the game of hockey pay off on Thursday night when he scored his first NHL goal against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Just under seven minutes into the opening period, Smith opened the scoring for the San Jose Sharks when Luke Kunin’s pass found him alone on the left-side face-off dot. He picked a corner and beat veteran goaltender Petr Mrazek, giving his team an early lead.
WILL SMITH GOES TOP SHELF FOR HIS FIRST NHL GOAL 🚨 pic.twitter.com/MraaGZMXri
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 1, 2024
#TheFutureIsTeal fans give Will Smith waves of applause, they show him on the scoreboard then Danny Miller makes the announcement.
No cheapie either, Smith picked a corner
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 1, 2024
Smith’s rookie season hasn’t gone to plan so far, as he had struggled to start the season but has slowly begun appearing more comfortable as time goes on. The transition from NCAA hockey to the NHL is a famously difficult one and as a result, the Sharks haven’t panicked when things started slowly for the 19-year-old.
Smith is the second player to score his first career goal for the San Jose Sharks this season, as Macklin Celebrini did so in his debut against the St. Louis Blues.
Whether this goal will be a turning point for the 2023 fourth-overall pick’s rookie campaign remains to be seen, but regardless of what it means in the long run, he’s joined an exclusive club of players who have scored in the NHL.
He absolutely did. "Tonight's the night," he said. And so it is!
— Dan Rusanowsky (@DanRusanowsky) November 1, 2024
Called his shot and happy to have the first off his back 🙌 pic.twitter.com/9XMHmQnYlE
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) November 1, 2024
And Will adds another!
MAKE THAT TWO FOR BIG WILLY STYLE 😤 pic.twitter.com/5ltAZmgxVW
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 1, 2024
How ballsy is it to be 19, you don't score in your first 8 NHL games, people are saying you should go to the AHL, and not only do you call your shot & say that you'll score your first NHL goal tonight, but then you score two?
And both on absolute snipes!
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 1, 2024
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I’ve been there now for both Celebrinis and Smiths first goals. Hard to say which was more exciting but.
got.
dam.
That was awesome tonight.
Both times I tested my phone case drop protection too. That was fun. So nice to see the vets celebrating him too.