It might seem the San Jose Sharks’ future is in good palms.
Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 general decide on this previous summer season’s NHL draft, and Will Smith, the No. 4 general choice in 2023, every had a aim and an help because the Sharks defeated the Seattle Kraken 8-5 in a Black Friday matinee.
The Pacific Division rivals will full their home-and-home sequence Saturday night time in Seattle.
Celebrini has 4 objectives over the previous three video games and Smith put collectively his third straight multi-point effort (two objectives, 4 assists), because the Sharks improved to 2-2-1 over their previous 5 contests.
Celebrini grew to become the second 18-year-old in franchise historical past to attain in at the very least three consecutive video games. Jeff Friesen tallied in 5 in a row in 1994-95.
The offensive output was San Jose’s largest since an 8-2 victory in opposition to Philadelphia on Oct. 9, 2018. It got here two video games after a 7-2 victory in opposition to visiting Los Angeles on Monday.
The Sharks’ Ethan Cardwell, enjoying in his fourth sport, added his first NHL aim. Cardwell transformed a wrist shot from the highest of the left faceoff circle at 7:37 of the third interval to provide San Jose a two-goal cushion.
“I feel I blacked on the market for a minute,” Cardwell mentioned of his aim. “It was an superior second, every thing I dreamed of. To have a crowd go loopy like that and see all of the boys’ pleasure to return to the bench made all of it that a lot price it.”
Klim Kostin, moved up within the lineup, added a Gordie Howe hat trick — a aim, help and combat — for San Jose.
“I did not anticipate (to play with Mikael Granlund and Smith) after I go to the rink,” Kostin mentioned. “Once I noticed the lineup, I used to be like, ‘Hey man, you gotta take that chance to show your self you could play hockey.'”
Nonetheless, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky did not appear fully happy.
“It was whoever wished to play protection would most likely win the hockey sport,” Warsofsky mentioned. “(There are) some issues we bought to take a look at and be higher for (Saturday).”
Kraken coach Dan Bylsma paused and selected his phrases rigorously when requested a query in a postgame information scrum.
“The ending assertion might be that we gave them quite a lot of alternatives to show their talent,” Bylsma mentioned.
The Kraken obtained two power-play objectives from Shane Wright, the No. 4 decide within the 2022 NHL Draft, and Chandler Stephenson added a aim and two assists. Oliver Bjorkstrand had one aim and one help however netminder Philipp Grubauer stopped simply 19 of 26 photographs to drop to 1-7-0 this season.
“Simply not the kind of sport we need to get into,” mentioned Wright, who has 5 factors (three objectives, two assists) in three video games since returning to the lineup after spending three contests as a wholesome scratch. “Any time you quit eight objectives, it isn’t going to finish effectively for you.”
Bjorkstrand mentioned the Kraken are intent on bouncing again Saturday.
“Now we have one thing to show,” Bjorkstrand mentioned. “It may be an announcement sport, that we’re not going to have very many of those.”
–Subject Stage Media