UPDATE: In a thrilling showdown, the San Jose Sharks suffered a heart-wrenching 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on November 25, 2023. Despite impressive milestones from rookie sensations Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks couldn’t overcome a four-goal surge from the Golden Knights.
Smith made waves in his 100th NHL game, scoring twice, while Celebrini reached the remarkable milestone of 100 career points. Smith opened the scoring at 7:34 of the first period, but the Sharks quickly fell behind as Vegas netted four unanswered goals. Center Tomas Hertl and forwards Colton Sissons and Mitch Marner struck for the Golden Knights, establishing a daunting 4-1 lead.
Though Smith’s second goal, assisted by Celebrini at 14:40 in the second period, narrowed the gap to 4-2, the Sharks faced an uphill battle. William Eklund added a goal with just 25 seconds left in the second period, bringing the score to 4-3. However, the Sharks could not find the equalizer, marking their second defeat against the Golden Knights this season.
Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic struggled early but improved as the game progressed, finishing with xx saves after allowing four goals on 19 shots in the first two periods. Despite the loss, the Sharks wrapped up a solid month of November with a record of 9-5-1.
Smith’s remarkable performance now places him fourth in Sharks history for points in the first 100 NHL games, trailing only Celebrini, who achieved this feat in just 96 games. Celebrini’s 100 points include 23 assists this season and make him the fastest player in Sharks history to reach this milestone. Other players who reached 100 points early in their careers did so in significantly more games, highlighting the exceptional talent of these young stars.
The Sharks entered Saturday’s game tied with the Utah Mammoth for the second and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 27 points each. A win would have allowed the Sharks to leapfrog the Golden Knights and gain ground in the competitive Pacific Division.
As the game unfolded, the Sharks remembered their previous encounter with the Golden Knights on October 9, which ended in a painful 4-3 overtime defeat. That game saw critical errors from Nedeljkovic, which the team aimed to avoid this time.
In the aftermath of the loss, Sharks coach Graf emphasized the team’s determination to bounce back. “We haven’t forgotten the first game,” he stated, signaling a commitment to improve in future matchups.
Looking ahead, the Sharks must regroup and reassess as they continue their quest for playoff positioning. Fans will be eagerly watching for improvements in their next outing, as the team aims to solidify their standing in the league.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Sharks navigate this challenging season!
