Sharks Outscore Canadiens 7-5

The four-point outburst from rookie Macklin Celebrini included his 30th goal of the season, a significant milestone for the 19-year-old who recently returned from the Milan Cortina Olympics with a silver medal for Team Canada. While impressive, the four-point night was not a career-high for Celebrini, who has previously recorded a five-point game. Kiefer Sherwood's game-winning goal, scored on a power play with just 3:26 left in regulation, was the decisive blow after the Canadiens had erased a three-goal deficit in the third period. The goal was set up by Philipp Kurashev, who found Sherwood after his initial close-range shot was stopped. The game was a wild, back-and-forth affair where the Sharks initially built a 5-2 lead. Montreal stormed back with three consecutive goals in the third period, with two from Alex Newhook on the power play, to tie the game at 5-5 midway through the final frame. Adam Gaudette added an empty-net goal to seal the victory for San Jose. This victory marked the Sharks' third consecutive win, providing a crucial boost as they make an unexpected push for a Western Conference wild-card spot. The team is considered ahead of schedule in its rebuild, and this late-season surge has them firmly in the playoff conversation. For the Canadiens, the loss was their first in regulation since January 24. The defeat has significant implications for their playoff positioning in a tightly contested Atlantic Division, where they are battling for seeding to avoid a tough wild-card matchup. The offensive showcase wasn't limited to the stars. The Sharks also got goals from Will Smith, Michael Misa, Collin Graf, and Alexander Wennberg. Montreal's other goal scorers were Oliver Kapanen, Phillip Danault, and Ivan Demidov, with defenseman Mike Matheson contributing three assists. Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov made 30 saves to earn the win for San Jose. At the other end of the ice, Jakub Dobes stopped 21 of the 27 shots he faced for Montreal.