Sharks Handle Business Against Reeling Rangers, Keep Playoff Push Alive
SAN JOSE - If the San Jose Sharks are going to end their playoff drought - one that stretches back to 2019 - they’ll need to keep stacking wins against teams that are already looking toward the draft lottery. On Friday night, they did just that.
Facing a New York Rangers squad that’s clearly in sell mode and had dropped seven of its last eight, the Sharks took care of business early and never looked back, skating to a 3-1 win in front of a packed house at SAP Center.
The tone was set in the first period, and it was rookie phenom Macklin Celebrini leading the charge. The 18-year-old lit the lamp twice in the opening frame - once on the power play just 69 seconds in, then again at the 7:37 mark to give San Jose a commanding 3-0 lead. Celebrini’s first goal, off a slick feed from veteran Tyler Toffoli, snapped a brief two-game scoring lull and put the Sharks in control from the jump.
Pavol Regenda also got in on the action, scoring a power play goal of his own as San Jose capitalized on New York’s defensive breakdowns early. The Sharks have now gone 9-4-0 since the Christmas break - a stretch that’s not just encouraging, but potentially season-defining.
Celebrini wasn’t alone in his impact. Alongside fellow rookies Will Smith and Collin Graf, the trio combined for six points on the night, continuing to show that the Sharks’ youth movement isn’t just about the future - it’s fueling the now.
It also completed a season sweep of the Rangers, a team the Sharks edged in a wild 6-5 overtime win back in October. In that game, Celebrini had three goals and two assists, while Smith added two goals and two assists of his own.
In net, Alex Nedeljkovic continues to be a stabilizing force. The veteran netminder stopped 28 shots, including 22 over the first two periods, and extended his personal win streak to five games - his longest since debuting in the NHL back in January 2017.
He’s been rock-solid lately, entering the night with a .922 save percentage over his last four appearances. His last outing?
A 35-save performance - and a rare goalie scrap with Sergei Bobrovsky - in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers.
Now, the road gets interesting. The Sharks won’t be back at home until Feb. 26, as they embark on a five-game road swing before the league breaks for the Olympics.
Stops include Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Chicago and Colorado - a mix of playoff contenders and teams playing out the string. Among that group, only the Avalanche (currently leading the NHL) and the Oilers (second in the Pacific) are firmly in the postseason picture.
After the Olympic break, it’s a sprint to the finish. San Jose will play 26 games in just over seven weeks.
The good news? Only 11 of those games are against teams currently in a playoff spot.
They’ll see plenty of the Blues, Blackhawks, Jets, Flames and Canucks - all beatable, all outside the top tier.
In terms of points percentage, the Sharks have the easiest remaining schedule in the NHL. That’s no guarantee, of course, but it’s the kind of runway a team on the bubble needs.
Heading into Friday’s game, San Jose sat just outside the playoff picture with 53 points - tied with the Seattle Kraken, who held the final wild card spot in the West. The Sharks and Kings were also just two points behind the Ducks for third place in the Pacific.
Bottom line: the opportunity is there. And if the Sharks keep taking care of business against teams like the Rangers, that seven-year playoff drought might finally be coming to an end.