The Sharks dug themselves out of a two-goal hole, but the finish belonged to the Penguins.
Pittsburgh struck first when defenseman Samuel Girard scored his second goal of the season shortly after Jacob Trouba finished serving a tripping penalty and stepped back onto the ice. Girard has been a problem for San Jose before, and this one fit the pattern: his sixth goal and 18th point in 26 games against the Sharks.
San Jose had a chance to erase that deficit midway through the second period, but the goal they thought they’d scored never counted. Officials waved it off after ruling the puck had been batted in by Ivar Stenberg’s body instead of his stick. A long review followed, and the call on the ice stood.
The Sharks spent much of the second period under pressure, and Egor Chinakhov nearly added another late in the frame during a scramble, only to ring the puck off the iron. Pittsburgh kept pushing, but San Jose survived to the intermission thanks to strong defensive work and Yaroslav Askarov’s saves.
The third period opened with more video review drama. Just 20 seconds in, the Penguins thought they had scored, but after a quicker look, officials again ruled no goal because it was impossible to tell whether the puck had fully crossed the line.
Pittsburgh finally extended the lead at 3:28 of the third, when Ben Kindel scored his fourth goal of the season while Zack Ostapchuk was in the penalty box.
Down 2-0, the Sharks kept coming. Macklin Celebrini snapped Sergei Murashov’s bid for a second career shutout with a goal just over eight minutes into the period, and that gave San Jose a jolt.
Then, with 4:11 left in regulation, Mason Marchment redirected a pass from Celebrini past Murashov to tie the game. It was the 100th goal of Marchment’s career.
From there, regulation wasn’t enough. Overtime settled nothing, though Kris Letang took a holding penalty with 42 seconds left, giving San Jose a brief opening to chase the winner.
The game moved to a shootout, where the Sharks’ comeback fell just short. Ben Kindel scored the only goal, and Pittsburgh walked away with the win.
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Sharks Comeback Showed Fight But One Problem Still Lingers
The Sharks found some late life at SAP Center, erasing a two-goal deficit with third-period goals from Macklin Celebrini and Mason Marchment to push Pittsburgh into overtime. For a team still trying to build consistency, the comeback offered a reminder that San Jose can keep coming even when a game looks like its slipping away.
Still, the night ended with another frustrating finish in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Penguins, and the margin for error remains thin when games go beyond regulation. San Jose had a chance to complete the rally in the extra session, only for a potential tying moment to be wiped away on video review, leaving the Sharks with effort to build on but another lingering issue to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
How Erik Karlsson Still Shapes The Sharks Rebuild Today
Erik Karlssons exit from San Jose on Aug. 3, 2026, was more than just a star defenseman changing teams. The Sharks sent Karlsson, Dillon Hamaliuk and a 2026 third-round pick to Pittsburgh and brought back Mikael Granlund, Mike Hoffman, Jan Rutta and a 2024 first-round pick, a package that quickly became part of the organizations broader reset. What looked like a clean break at the time has continued to echo through the rebuild, with the assets from that deal helping shape the next wave of prospects in the system.
The ripple effect is still visible in how San Jose has used those draft picks, turning them into a deeper prospect base as the franchise tries to move past the Karlsson era. Even now, the trade remains part of the conversation because the Sharks are still carrying a piece of the financial aftermath, and the final chapter on his contract is still playing out. For a team trying to stack young talent and clear the books at the same time, that deal keeps mattering in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Grier Sends A Clear Message As Sharks Frustration Builds
The slow start has already started to wear on the room, and Mike Grier isnt pretending otherwise. The Sharks general manager acknowledged the gap between preseason expectations and what has actually shown up on the ice, framing it as part of the growing pains for a young team that is still trying to figure out how to win on a consistent basis.
Grier also pointed to the reality of a roster that is still settling in, with plenty of new players learning their roles inside the organization. For a team trying to build habits as much as results, the message is less about panic than patience, even if the frustration around the start is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]