Nedeljkovic shines, Eklund scores dazzling goal as Sharks snap Bruins' long home winning streak

Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News on Mar 12, 2026

Published in Hockey

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San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic picked a perfect time to have one of his best games of the season.

With the Sharks looking to get back into a playoff position, the timing was right for Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund to find the back of the net again, too.

Nedeljkovic stopped 38 of 40 shots, and Michael Misa, Toffoli and Eklund each had a goal and an assist as the Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday at TD Garden.

Collin Graf also scored an important short-handed goal in the third period as the Sharks snapped the Bruins’ 13-game home winning streak at home. It was also San Jose’s first win in Boston in its last 12 visits.

With the win, the Sharks also, perhaps temporarily, moved past the Seattle Kraken into the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. The Kraken hosted the Colorado Avalanche late Thursday night.

Toffoli’s goal was just his second in 12 games, and Eklund’s goal, on a tremendous second effort, snapped a 19-game goal drought. Eklund streaked in toward the Bruins’ net, put a shot on goalie Jeremy Swayman, and batted the rebound out of the air into the net for his first goal since Jan. 7.

Nedeljkovic made 27 saves in the first two periods and eight more in the third period as he improved to 7-1-1 in his last nine starts, leading the Sharks to their fourth win in their last 12 games (4-5-3).

The Sharks’ road trip continues with games against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, and the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

The Sharks (30-26-6) were playing the second game of a five-game road trip that began with a 6-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.

The Sharks had lost five straight on the road and were playing a Bruins team that has won 13 straight at home, including a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Boston (36-23-6) entered Thursday in the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot with 78 points, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Sharks opened the scoring at the 5:57 mark of the first period.

After stopping the Bruins in the neutral zone, Toffoli fed the puck ahead to Misa, who streaked into the offensive zone alongside Eklund. The two worked a give-and-go, with Misa scoring on an open net after a pass from Eklund for his sixth goal of the season.

Nedeljkovic made 14 saves in the first period and needed to stay in the game after Yaroslav Askarov was injured Thursday morning.

Askarov “tweaked something” early Thursday, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said, as he warmed up prior to the team’s morning skate at TD Garden. It was not immediately clear how much more time Askarov would have to miss, although Warsofsky said he did not believe Askarov’s injury was serious.

With Askarov’s injury, the Sharks signed goalie Kyle Chauvette to an amateur tryout contract, and he backed Nedeljkovic. Chauvette, 24, played three years at Union College from 2022-2025, and in his senior season at New Hampshire, went 13-19-1 with a .902 save percentage.

Askarov started Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres and stopped 20 of 25 shots in a 6-3 Sharks loss. In 40 games this season, Askarov is 19-17-3 with an .886 save percentage.

Nedeljkovic, in 27 games, is 11-9-3 with a .900 save percentage. The Sharks signed him to a two-year, $6 million contract extension last week.

This wasn’t the first time this season that the Sharks employed an emergency backup goalie.

In December, with Askarov battling an illness on a road trip, the Sharks signed former Colgate University goalie Justin Kowalkoski to an ATO to back up Nedeljkovic in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Kowalkoski did not play in what became a 4-1 Sharks loss.

Chernyshov recalled

Forward Igor Chernyshov was recalled from the Barracuda of the AHL on Thursday, and could be in the lineup against the Canadiens on Saturday.

Chernyshov, 20, had an assist in the Barracuda’s 4-1 win over the San Diego Gulls at Tech CU Arena on Wednesday, and is fourth on the team in scoring with 33 points in 41 games.

This is Chernyshov’s second recall to the NHL, as he played 15 games with the Sharks from Dec. 16 to Jan. 19 when the team was without forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev. Often playing alongside Macklin Celebrini, Chernyshov had three goals and eight assists as he averaged 15:47 in ice time.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Chernyshov was drafted 33rd overall by the Sharks in 2024.