San Jose Sharks Stun Wild in Overtime Thriller as Collin Graf Leads Comeback Victory

The San Jose Sharks pulled off a dramatic comeback on Tuesday night time, defeating the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in time beyond regulation at Grand Casino Arena.

Rookie ahead Collin Graf was the hero as he scored in time beyond regulation to seal the Sharks’ fourth consecutive win and their scorching streak to 6-0-1 since late October.

Collin Graf’s Game-Winning Goal Ignites Sharks’ Momentum

Graf’s time beyond regulation objective got here on a flawless odd-man rush, with Macklin Celebrini main the cost down the ice earlier than sending a exact move to Graf.

The rookie shifted from forehand to backhand and slid the puck previous Filip Gustavsson for his second objective of the season, an ideal ending to an exciting comeback that highlighted the Sharks’ rising confidence and resilience.

Will Smith’s Power Play Breakthrough Sparks the Rally

The Sharks got here alive late within the third interval when Will Smith tied the sport at 1-1 on the ability play at 11:57. On a diagonal move throughout the ice by Tyler Toffoli, Celebrini returned it to Smith, who fired a shot via Gustavsson’s pads for his seventh of the yr. The clutch objective snapped San Jose’s energy play drought after going simply 1-for-23 in its final eight video games.

Smith has been scorching of late, notching factors in 5 consecutive contests with three targets and 4 assists. His work alongside Celebrini, who put up a pair of helpers in opposition to the Wild, has been one of many key cogs of San Jose’s offense. He now has 26 factors on the yr, placing him close to the highest of the league scoring leaderboard.

Yaroslav Askarov Shines in Net

According to The Mercury News, goaltender Yaroslav Askarov was the distinction in San Jose’s win, turning apart 28 of 29 photographs in an impressive efficiency. Making a shock begin over Alex Nedeljkovic, Askarov stood tall because the Wild dominated early play, his solely blemish a Matt Boldy energy play objective within the second interval.

Askarov’s effort continues a run of elite goaltending that has keyed the Sharks’ midseason resurgence. Over their first 10 video games, San Jose managed an .857 save proportion and a 2-6-2 document. Through the final six video games, that quantity has soared to .961 together with a 5-0-1 mark.

Sharks Eye Strong Finish to Road Trip

With the victory, the San Jose Sharks (8-6-3) prolonged their profitable streak to a season-high for the reason that opening of the 2021–22 season. Next, they journey to finish their highway journey in opposition to the Calgary Flames on Thursday and the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

If the Sharks can proceed to combine nice protection, clutch goaltending, and well timed scoring, their current surge might be the start of a exceptional turnaround within the Western Conference race.