Rookie Macklin Celebrini scored twice and earned an assist to lead the visiting San Jose Sharks past the St. Louis Blues 4-3 on Thursday.
Jake Walman had a goal and an assist, Tyler Toffoli also scored and Nikolai Kovalenko notched three assists as the Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak.
Alexandar Georgiev made 17 saves to win his Sharks debut. He and Kovalenko arrived from the Colorado Avalanche in a trade for Mackenzie Blackwood and Givani Smith on Monday.
Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who took just their second regulation loss in eight games (5-2-1) since Jim Montgomery took over as coach.
Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou also scored for St. Louis, and Jordan Binnington made 27 saves.
Toffoli put the Sharks up just 1:21 into the game. He converted a rebound during the goalmouth scramble that followed Binnington’s turnover behind his net.
Neighbours leveled the game 1-1 midway through the first period. He took an outlet pass from Ryan Suter, skated up the left wing and scored off a toe-drag move to the middle.
Celebrini put the Sharks ahead 5:43 into the second period. He raced up the left wing and tried to make a cross-ice pass to Toffoli. Blues defenseman Colton Parayko blocked the pass while sliding, but the puck came back to Celebrini — who caught Binnington playing the pass.
The Sharks closed the second period with a power play that produced heavy pressure. Celebrini capped the flurry by scoring from the left faceoff dot off a pass from Mikael Granlund at 19:53 for a 3-1 lead.
Schenn cut the deficit in half by converting a weak-side rebound at 5:34 of the third period after Mathew Kessel shot the puck into heavy traffic.
However, 27 seconds later, Walman increased the Sharks’ lead to 4-2 by scoring from left wing off a two-on-one pass from Kovalenko.
Kyrou cut the lead to one goal again by driving to the left post and scoring off a touch pass from Pavel Buchnevich at 7:57.
With Binnington pulled for an extra attacker, Buchnevich hit the left post in the closing seconds as St. Louis’ comeback bid fell short.
–Field Level Media
The San Francisco 49ers have endured the absence of numerous players due to injury all season. On Thursday, they were down a player who merely didn’t want to participate. San…
Scott Laughton tied a franchise record with a career-high four goals as the Philadelphia Flyers topped the visiting Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Thursday. Aleksei Kolosov (25 saves) came within…
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves as the Seattle Kraken defeated the visiting Boston Bruins 5-1 on Thursday night. Jared McCann had a goal and an…
NHL roundup: Flyers’ Scott Laughton scores 4 in win vs. Wings
Kraken hand Bruins another blowout loss
Kevin Lankinen, Canucks end Panthers’ point streak
NBA roundup: Celtics down Pistons for 12th straight time