ST. LOUIS — In an exciting matchup, rookie Macklin Celebrini made a significant impact by scoring two goals and contributing an assist, leading the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday evening.
In addition to Celebrini’s stellar performance, Tyler Toffoli and Jake Walman also found the back of the net, while goaltender Alexandar Georgiev recorded 17 saves. This victory marked a much-needed end to the Sharks’ three-game losing streak and capped off a challenging six-game road trip spread over 13 days.
The Blues showcased their offensive efforts with goals from Jake Neighbours, Brayden Schenn, and Jordan Kyrou, but despite their attempts, goaltender Jordan Binnington could only manage 27 saves. Under the guidance of new head coach Jim Montgomery, St. Louis has managed to secure a record of 5-2-1.
Kyrou’s impressive season continued as he netted his 11th goal, bringing the score to 4-3 only 7:57 into the third period. Schenn also got his name on the scoreboard just 5:34 into the period, but Walman quickly responded 27 seconds later, reaffirming the Sharks’ two-goal advantage.
Celebrini, who was the top overall pick in the previous June draft, continued to shine, scoring his 10th goal of the season on a power play with only seven seconds left in the second period, which elevated San Jose’s lead to 3-1. He had already opened the scoring earlier in the period.
Key observations indicated that the Sharks displayed greater energy compared to the Blues, who had just returned from Vancouver the day prior. Meanwhile, the Blues appeared to struggle with offensive momentum, likely feeling the fatigue from their recent four-game stretch.
In a pivotal moment, tensions flared as Dylan Holloway and Klim Kostin were both penalized for roughing with just 1:55 remaining in the second period. Holloway faced a double-minor penalty, allowing the Sharks to capitalize on the ensuing power play.
A noteworthy statistic revealed that Celebrini has amassed an impressive total of seven points—three goals and four assists—in just three encounters against the Blues this season.
Looking ahead, the Sharks will host Utah on Saturday night, kicking off a homestand that consists of four games. Meanwhile, the Blues are set to face the Dallas Stars on the same night.