Macklin Celebrini scored a late tying goal and assisted on the overtime winner as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Wednesday night. The 19-year-old extended his point streak to 12 games, showcasing his impact in a crucial divisional matchup. With the win, the Sharks remain one point behind the Pacific Division lead.
The San Jose Sharks secured a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena, propelled by standout performances from young star Macklin Celebrini. In a game that highlighted the Sharks' resilience, Celebrini tied the score at 3-3 with 1:07 remaining in regulation, deking past defender Warren Foegele before wristing a shot five-hole past goaltender Darcy Kuemper with Sharks netminder Yaroslav Askarov pulled for an extra attacker. Just over three minutes into overtime, Celebrini orchestrated the game-winner, stripping the puck, passing it off the boards to himself, creating a 2-on-1 rush, and feathering a precise pass to William Eklund, who buried it from the left circle at 3:08.
Celebrini finished with one goal and two assists, extending his point streak to 12 games (nine goals, 15 assists) and tying Joe Sakic, Jimmy Carson, and Wayne Gretzky for the third-longest teenager streak in NHL history. His season totals stand at 24 goals and 43 assists, ranking him third in league scoring behind Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, with a plus-17 rating underscoring his two-way prowess. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky praised him: "He just keeps impressing us and impressing us... He’s definitely turning into a superstar right before our eyes."
The Sharks (22-18-3) jumped ahead 1-0 in the second period on Tyler Toffoli's power-play goal, assisted by Celebrini and Alexander Wennberg. Adam Gaudette added a 2-1 lead early in the third with another power-play tip-in after returning from injury. The Kings (18-14-10) equalized twice through Alex Turcotte and Kevin Fiala before Quinton Laferriere gave them a brief 3-2 edge. A potential Kings goal by Joel Edmundson was overturned on video review for a hand pass.
Celebrini downplayed his heroics postgame: "Not much. Tried to make a play." Yet his impact has fueled speculation about his future, with former NHLer Paul Bissonnette tweeting that the 2024 first-overall pick deserves a contract like Kirill Kaprizov's $17 million AAV extension. The Sharks, winners of five of their last six, continue their push for a division title, one point out of first in the Pacific.
Eklund credited Celebrini: "If you’re open for Mac, he’s gonna find you." For the Kings, Fiala admitted: "We were not really ready, to be honest." Askarov made 23 saves, while Kuemper stopped 24.