In San Jose, California, Cody Ceci came through in the clutch, netting a goal with just 25 seconds remaining in the third period to secure a 3-2 victory for the Sharks over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
As the game was deadlocked at 2-2, Ceci unleashed a powerful slap shot from the blue line that found its way past Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom, clinching the win for the Sharks.
San Jose’s goalie, Yaroslav Askarov, delivered a strong performance, turning away 28 shots, while Markstrom recorded 21 saves for New Jersey, in a game filled with back-and-forth action.
Macklin Celebrini was instrumental for the Sharks, scoring a hard wrist shot early in the third period, which marked his first shift of that frame and gave San Jose a 2-1 lead. However, Paul Cotter quickly responded for the Devils to equalize the score.
Nikolai Kovalenko, who joined the Sharks via trade last month, made an impact by scoring his first goal for the team late in the first period. Meanwhile, Nico Hischier celebrated his 26th birthday by tying the game in the second period with a power-play goal, deftly redirecting a pass from Jack Hughes.
Takeaways
For the Devils, this marks their fourth consecutive loss during a challenging six-game road stretch. The team struggles to establish a rhythm following the holiday break.
On the Sharks’ side, this victory signifies their second consecutive win against a playoff-caliber team, having previously defeated the Lightning to end an eight-game losing streak. Askarov continues to impress in his role as the goaltender of the future, demonstrating solid form in his second straight game after a perfect third period performance on Thursday.
Key moments from the game included a critical play in the dying seconds, when Jonas Siegenthaler of the Devils lost his footing in the corner, allowing Alexander Wennberg of the Sharks to recover the puck. He then passed it to Ceci, whose shot, despite being deflected off Markstrom’s glove, managed to find the net.
One key statistic to note is that Celebrini’s 13th goal of the season places him as the leading rookie scorer in the league, previously tied with Matvei Michkov of the Flyers.
Up next for the teams, the Devils will face off against the Kraken on Monday, while the Sharks prepare to host the Golden Knights on Tuesday.
