Macklin Celebrini leads dramatic comeback as Sharks beat Ducks, 4-3

Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News on Apr 1, 2026

Published in Hockey

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Macklin Celebrini scored with 1:39 left in the third period, then assisted on Alex Wennberg’s goal with 21 seconds left in the regulation time to finish off a four-point night in the Sharks' dramatic 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday

The Sharks’ top two scorers, Celebrini and Will Smith, combined to score the team’s first two goals.

The Sharks fell behind early in the third period.

With the game tied 2-2 in the third period, a turnover by Sharks defenseman Dmitry Orlov turned into a go-ahead goal by Ducks forward Troy Terry with 15:56 left in regulation time.

Orlov went back into his own zone to retrieve a loose puck and tried to find center Wennberg in the neutral zone with a diagonal pass. But Terry intercepted the pass, put a shot on net that was saved by goalie Yaroslav Askarov, then scored his 18th goal of the season on the rebound.

Smith scored a first-period power-play goal off an assist from Celebrini, and Celebrini scored an even-strength goal 27 seconds into the third period to tie the game 2-2.

Celebrini and Smith came into Wednesday as the Sharks’ two leading scorers with 101 and 51 points, respectively, this season. Celebrini has now scored or assisted on 47.6% of the Sharks’ 224 goals in 73 games this season — the highest goal share ever for a teenager. Wayne Gretzky had points on 45.5% of Oilers goals in 1979-80.

The Ducks outshot the Sharks 31-16 through the first 53 minutes of Wednesday’s game. The Sharks had managed just two shots in the first 14 minutes of the third period.

The Sharks also allowed a late first-period goal to Ryan Poehling and a go-ahead goal to Alex Killorn at the 14:59 mark of the second.

The Sharks were without rookie winger Igor Chernyshov, who was dealing with an illness. It was unclear whether Chernyshov would be available for the Sharks’ home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

Chernyshov, 20, had been playing alongside Celebrini and Smith, collecting two goals and an assist in four games on the top line. Both of his most recent goals came in the Sharks’ 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, including the game-winner with 1:25 to go in the third period.

With Chernyshov unavailable to play against the Ducks, Collin Graf moved to the top line with Celebrini and Smith and forward Ty Dellandrea, who had missed nearly three months with a torn right posterior cruciate ligament, entered the lineup. Dellandrea was activated off injured reserve hours before Wednesday’s game.

Dellandrea, who was injured in the Sharks’ game against the Blue Jackets on Jan. 6, started Wednesday’s game as the third line right wing with rookie center Michael Misa and Tyler Toffoli at left wing.

The Sharks were looking for their third straight win after beating the St. Louis Blues, 5-4, on Monday to open the homestand. The Sharks entered Wednesday in 11th place in the Western Conference with 75 points, two points back of the Nashville Predators for the second and final wild card spot.

The Sharks’ homestand continues with games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, the Predators on Saturday, the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, and the Edmonton Oilers next Wednesday.

The Sharks and Ducks traded goals in the first period.

Shortly after a Sharks power play began, Celebrini took control of the puck, wheeled around the Ducks net and fired a pass to Smith, who one-timed a shot past Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal for his 22nd goal of the season at the 4:37 mark.

The Sharks had to kill three penalties — all stick fouls — in the first period, but allowed an even-strength goal to Poehling with 2:13 left.

Poehling eluded a check from Orlov inside the Sharks’ blue line, cut to the middle of the ice and beat Askarov high to the blocker side for his 10th goal of the season.

Askarov finished with 12 saves in the first period as he made his second straight start. He made 22 saves, including 12 in the third period, in the Sharks’ win over the Blues.