Ducks Struggle in Loss Against Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks

Macklin Celebrini Shines in Sharks’ Narrow Victory Over Ducks

In a thrilling matchup on Monday night, Macklin Celebrini tallied a goal and two assists, reaching 60 points this season and becoming the third player to hit that milestone. His performance helped the San José Sharks secure a 5-4 victory against the Anaheim Ducks.

Despite being outshot 43-13, the Sharks managed to clinch their second win after the holiday break. Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund, and Zach Ostapchuk also contributed to the scoreboard, while Yaroslav Askarov made an impressive 38 saves.

Troy Terry led the Ducks with two goals, supported by Cutter Gauthier, who netted his 19th goal, and Pavel Mintyukov, who also found the back of the net. The Ducks have struggled recently, losing three consecutive games and seven out of their last nine, which has seen them slip out of first place in the Pacific Division. Goaltender Lukas Dostal faced challenges, allowing four goals on nine shots before being replaced by Petr Mrazek in the second period.

Celebrini’s achievement is notable; he needed only 39 games to reach 60 points, the most by a teenager in NHL history before New Year’s Day. This impressive run includes seven multipoint games in December, and he has extended his points streak to eight games. Although he briefly exited the game after being struck in the face by a deflected puck during the third period, he returned shortly after.

The Sharks capitalized on key opportunities, particularly with Alexander Wennberg assisting on their first two goals. However, a costly turnover by Askarov allowed Anaheim to score off Nikita Nesterenko’s setup to Terry.

Celebrini opened the scoring late in the first period and later assisted on Chernyshov’s second career goal. Eklund also scored after another assist from Celebrini, leading to Dostal’s exit from the game. Gauthier’s late-second-period goal set up Mintyukov’s early third-period score, but Ostapchuk and Terry kept the match competitive until the end, with Mrazek in net for the Ducks during crucial moments.

The game showcased the intense competition within the Pacific Division as both teams vie for favorable standings in the lead-up to the New Year.