The San Jose Sharks didn’t exactly put together a pretty preseason finale on Saturday night, but they found the one thing that matters when the game tightens up: a way to finish it. San Jose edged the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2, with Mason Marchment and Michael Misa delivering the late punch that turned a tied game into a win.
Marchment broke the 2-2 deadlock in the third period when his shot went off the post and in, giving the Sharks the lead. Vegas still had time to press for an answer, but Misa shut the door with a slick finish that beat Carter Hart and gave San Jose breathing room in the final minutes.
The Sharks needed every bit of that offense because Yaroslav Askarov spent much of the night holding the line. He was the reason San Jose stayed within striking distance through the first two periods, when Vegas had the edge in the flow of play at 5v5. Askarov stopped 13 shots in the first period, including three high-danger chances, then faced 12 more in the second with four high-danger looks and allowed just one goal through 40 minutes.
He finished with 29 saves and a .933 save percentage.
The work in front of him mattered too. San Jose’s defense did a solid job of clearing bodies and clearing pucks, with Darnell Nurse repeatedly moving players out of the way even when they weren’t in the crease.
The Sharks’ defenders were also active in blocking shots and keeping attempts from ever getting through to Askarov. It looked like a group trying to be more aggressive and more physical in front of its goalie.
One defender who may have helped himself was Nolan Allan. Entering the night, he seemed like a likely seventh defenseman, but his game against Vegas made a stronger argument for more looks, especially against heavier opponents.
He moved the puck well enough, but he also brought the kind of edge that shows up in the crease and behind the net. Against teams like Vegas, and the opening-night opponent, the Florida Panthers, that kind of play can matter.
The Sharks may also have gotten a clearer picture of their line combinations with the season set to begin Thursday.
The Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Mason Marchment trio had a rougher night in puck possession at 5v5, but that likely had something to do with Vegas keying in on Celebrini’s line. Marchment still held his own on the unit, and the line produced offense anyway: Marchment had two points at even strength, while Celebrini and Smith each had one. That same group had torn up the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL squad on Tuesday with an 87.50% Corsi.
Another line that stood out was Michael Misa, Igor Chernyshov and Tyler Toffoli. It may not be a permanent setup, but the three of them were all noticeable, and according to Natural Stat Trick, Misa’s line posted the best Corsi at 5v5 on the night, even better than Celebrini’s group.
Ivar Stenberg had a tougher assignment against a team like Vegas, and he did struggle some, but he didn’t look out of place. The line of Stenberg, Alex Wennberg and Collin Graf still has some positives, especially with Graf’s hockey sense and the comfort factor of having a teammate who literally speaks Stenberg’s language and can help him after shifts. If the Misa line keeps trending the way it did here, it could climb into the second-line role sooner than expected, which would push Wennberg’s group down to the third line and give Stenberg softer matchups.
The one area that still looks like a work in progress is the fourth line. On paper, a group of Barclay Goodrow, Kiefer Sherwood and Zack Ostapchuk should be serviceable, but there’s a desire for more offense there, especially considering Sherwood’s salary. Even so, they logged 8:26 of even-strength time, a sign the staff has been able to spread the minutes around.
The game’s scoring opened in the second period when Celebrini scored at 6:45 off assists from Smith and Marchment. Vegas answered later in the period when Tomas Hertl scored on the power play at 17:24, with Shea Theodore and Carter Hart picking up the assists.
In Other News...
Sharks Opening Night Could Hinge On Two Tough Lineup Calls
Training camp projections have given the Sharks a clearer picture of what their opening-night lineup might look like, and a few of the pieces already appear fairly settled. Up front, Mason Marchment is expected to fit into a prominent role alongside the teams young core, with Macklin Celebrini still at the center of almost every meaningful forward discussion. On the blue line, the shape of the group is also starting to take form, with Darnell Nurse giving San Jose a different look in a unit that is still sorting out chemistry and usage.
The real uncertainty is in the spots that are hardest to earn and easiest to lose, where preseason performance and coaching preference can carry extra weight. San Joses decisions in goal and on defense could end up shaping the way the first month of the season looks, especially with a young roster and several players still trying to lock down everyday jobs. For now, the Sharks have enough established names to sketch a lineup, but not enough clarity to make every call feel straightforward. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks No Longer Have The Luxury Of Just Being Promising
The Sharks spent last season earning a measure of respect, even if the standings never fully rewarded it. After showing real promise and still coming up short of the playoffs, San Jose now finds itself in a different kind of conversation, one that is less about patience and more about when the progress has to start turning into results. Some analysts are already looking ahead to the 2026-27 season and viewing the team as a possible playoff contender.
Macklin Celebrini gives that projection a face, and a newly formal one at that, as the center of the organizations next push. Around him, the offense has become a real talking point, with Ivar Stenberg, Michael Misa and Will Smith all mentioned as reasons the Sharks can no longer be treated like a team that is simply interesting on paper. The promise is still there, but now the larger question is whether San Jose can turn it into something more durable before the window of optimism starts to feel overdue. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Interest In Connor Hellebuyck Raises A Bigger Goalie Question
The Sharks goalie picture has become a little more complicated as NHL Network insiders and other reports say San Jose has at least shown interest in Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck. For now, the discussions sound very preliminary, more like a club doing due diligence than anything close to a finished deal, but it is the kind of search that tells you where the organization is trying to push its rebuild.
Yaroslav Askarov is still part of the equation, which makes this more than a simple upgrade chase for San Jose. Winnipeg is not expected to part with Hellebuyck lightly, and any real conversation would likely require a major return, so the Sharks are left weighing whether a swing at an elite veteran fits their timeline or just complicates the future they are trying to build. [Read more 🡒]