Macklin Celebrini shone bright in his return to Vancouver, leading the San Jose Sharks to a decisive 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. The 19-year-old center recorded a goal and an assist, extending his impressive point streak to seven games, during which he has racked up five goals and nine assists.
Igor Chernyshov also made a mark by scoring his first NHL goal and contributing an assist. The Sharks showcased their offensive firepower with goals from Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg, William Eklund, and Collin Graf. Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov was solid in net, stopping 24 shots and helping San Jose break a three-game losing streak.
The Canucks managed to score three times, including a power-play goal from Linus Karlsson, a short-handed effort from Drew O’Connor, and an even-strength goal from Marco Rossi, marking his first in a Vancouver uniform. Rossi was part of a significant trade with Minnesota earlier this month, which sent star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Wild. Conor Garland and Filip Hronek contributed with two assists each as Thatcher Demko recorded 31 saves.
Celebrini’s notable goal came in the third period when he unleashed a powerful one-timer from the faceoff circle, making it 5-3. Graf later sealed the game with an empty-netter. Chernyshov continues to make his mark with five points in his first five NHL games, while Graf has scored in four consecutive matches.
The matchup was particularly special for Rossi, Buium, and Ohgren, who all made their home debuts for Vancouver. Additionally, Elias Pettersson celebrated his 500th regular-season game after returning from an upper-body injury.
Vancouver has struggled at home this season, tallying only four wins at Rogers Arena, despite a strong 4-1-0 record during their pre-Christmas road trip.
Looking ahead, the Sharks will face off against the Ducks in Anaheim on Monday, while the Canucks are set to visit the Seattle Kraken the same day. The Sharks’ win signals a potential turning point as they aim to build momentum moving forward in the season.