The 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini returned to the ice earlier this month after sustaining a hip injury against the St. Louis Blues in San Jose's season opener. Since his return he has scored three goals, including an overtime winner on Monday.
Swimming with the Sharks
The Blues score 11 seconds into the game after a bad clearing attempt by the Shark goalie along the boards. Radek Faksa gathers it and sends it in front of the net and Nathan Walker swats it in…one shot…one goal…his third of the year. The goal at 11 seconds is the fastest in the NHL this season.
Blues on the penalty kill early six minutes in…and go down two men for about 40 seconds…the defense can only hold the Sharks off for so long and they capitalize on the powerplay to tie it up at one at 8:33. Two shots against in about three minutes and 30 seconds of penalty kill time.
San Jose takes an interference penalty with 7:51 left in the period. The Sharks have the eighth-ranked penalty kill in the NHL and they hold the Blues without a shot. The Blues had several good scoring chances but the period ends tied at one. Blues outshoot the Sharks 15 to 7.
Keep the pressure on…
With 8:13 left in the period Robert Thomas drops the puck to Pierre-Olivier Joseph who streaks into the Sharks end and he sends a pass into the crease where Jordan Kyrou redirects it through the goalies' legs with two defenders draped around him. 2 to 1 good guys on their 18th shot. End of two and the Blues maintain the 2 to 1 lead and still lead in shots 21 to 13.
Play straight north in the third period
San Jose playing in a back-to-back game…so they should be the tired team. Midway through the period the Blues have outshot the Sharks 7 to 3 but the score remains 2 to 1.
FIVE MINUTES…
SHARKS PULL THE GOALIE WITH 2:48 LEFT…Pavel Buchnevich and Thomas are in all alone but Celebrini makes a diving stick poke to save an empty netter. Buchnevich from inside the defensive blueline fires one down the ice and misses the net by a foot.
8.8 seconds left with four Blues players on the ice for over two minutes…the Sharks tie it up and we go to overtime just like the first meeting of these two teams. Blues held the edge in shots 30 to 23. San Jose had the edge in play witha crossbar and two shots on goal…the Blues only had one shot with under 10 seconds left.
TO THE SHOOTOUT
Brayden Schenn…no goal Granlund…Binnington the pad save Kyrou…no goal Celebrini…Binnington the stick save Jake Neighbors…fires one over the glove side for the goal...Blues up 1 to 0
Eklund…BINNINGTON WITH THE STICK SAVE. BLUES WIN IN THE SHOOTOUT.
BINNINGTON WITH HIS 151ST WIN TO TIE FOR THE FRANCHISE HISTORY GOALIE WINS!
Observations: Blues first shootout of the season...Blues snapped a four-game losing streak at home...Binnington played in his 295th game for the Blues notching his 151st victory in 56 fewer games than Liut...Blues have been outscored 14-2 in the third period over their last seven games...Interesting move to sit Oskar Sundqvist since he is one of their best defensive forwards/centers…Blues on the road for their next three…