By MICHAEL WAGAMAN
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Macklin Celebrini scored his 10th goal of the season as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Saturday night.
Adam Gaudette and Alexander Wennberg also found the back of the net for San Jose (7-6-3), which has now won three consecutive games and five of its last six. Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves to shut down the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
Brad Marchand scored in his fourth straight game, marking the longest streak by a Panthers player aged 37 or older. Marchand is just four points away from becoming the 102nd player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points.
The 19-year-old Celebrini, the top pick in the 2024 NHL draft, scored with 2:35 remaining in the first period. That goal gave him 24 points this season, matching the most by a teenager in his team’s first 16 games. Sidney Crosby (2006-07) and Hall of Famers Steve Yzerman (1984-85) and Wayne Gretzky (1980-81) also share this impressive mark.
The Panthers (7-7-1) struggled during five power-play opportunities, failing to score each time. This included a third-period power play where San Jose blocked three shots.
San Jose started aggressively, firing five shots in the first six minutes, but could not get past goalie Daniil Tarasov until Celebrini took a quick pass from Will Smith deep in the right corner and fired the puck into the net.
Gaudette increased the Sharks’ lead to 2-0 early in the second period with his fourth goal of the season, a precise shot that sailed past Tarasov’s outstretched glove. Marchand cut the deficit in half just 28 seconds later when Askarov fumbled with his mask.
Florida had a brief 5-on-3 advantage for 10 seconds and managed one shot off in a crowded Sharks zone before San Jose cleared the puck.
Alexander Wennberg sealed the game with an empty-net goal with 51 seconds remaining. Will Smith finished the night with two assists.
Up next:
Panthers travel to Vegas on Monday.
Sharks play at Minnesota on Tuesday.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/11/09/celebrini-scores-10th-goal-as-sharks-top-panthers-3-1-for-3rd-straight-win/