BUFFALO, N.Y. — On a chilly Tuesday night, the San Jose Sharks surged in the third period to secure a commanding 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Rookies Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini were instrumental in the Sharks’ impressive four-goal burst during the final period.
Both Smith and William Eklund contributed massively, with each player recording both a goal and an assist. The Sharks experienced a resurgence by securing back-to-back victories, following a previous 0-5-3 stretch. Their momentum had been initially rekindled with a shootout triumph against Toronto on Monday night.
Eklund added to the Sharks’ tally early in the third period, scoring a deft wrist shot just 17:41 before the final whistle. Shakir Mukhamadullin and Tyler Toffoli assisted on this goal. Toffoli, like Smith and Eklund, also found the net and assisted another goal, contributing to the fruitful night for San Jose.
For the Sabres, JJ Peterka and Tage Thompson each found moments of glory, scoring a goal apiece. However, the duo’s efforts were not enough to fend off the Sharks’ offensive onslaught.
Alexandar Georgiev was solid in the goal with 20 saves for San Jose, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 22 saves for Buffalo.
In terms of player achievements, Smith and Celebrini became only the third pair of rookies in Sharks history to each reach at least 30 points in a single season. This hadn’t happened since the 2006-07 season.
Despite the team’s loss, Peterka kept his individual momentum alive by extending his point streak to six games, where he accumulated three goals and four assists. On the other hand, the Sabres are struggling with a four-game losing streak.
A crucial moment unfolded when Celebrini netted a pivotal goal just over a minute after Thompson had narrowed the Sharks’ lead to 3-2. His quick response and keen positioning helped maintain San Jose’s advantage.
Noteworthy was Marc-Edouard Vlasic who etched his name in NHL history by becoming the all-time leader in blocked shots. He achieved this by intercepting a shot from Zach Benson early in the game, ultimately finishing with two blocks and bringing his career total to 2,166, surpassing Mark Giordano’s record.
Looking ahead, the Sharks are set to face Colorado, while the Sabres will take on Tampa Bay, with both matchups slated for Thursday night.
