The San Jose Sharks battled to a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night at SAP Center, earning a statement win behind strong goaltending from Alex Nedeljkovic and timely goals from Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Despite controlling the pace for most of the game, the Jets couldn’t turn possession into production, leaving California with a frustrating defeat.
Game Recap
The opening period featured an energetic, back-and-forth pace, but it was the Jets who established control early. Their dominance in the faceoff circle limited San Jose’s ability to build momentum, and that pressure paid off midway through the frame. At 12:34, Josh Morrissey took a clean feed off a won draw at the point and fired a heavy slap shot through traffic, beating Nedeljkovic to open the scoring.
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It was the kind of goal the Jets have been searching for — a clean, quick strike off the faceoff that reflected their aggressive puck movement. Morrissey’s confidence has been evident in recent games, and his goal set the tone for a strong opening stretch.
However, the Sharks wasted little time answering back. Just over a minute later, 19-year-old Celebrini took a pass through the neutral zone, burst past the Jets’ defense, and slipped a backhand shot past Connor Hellebuyck to tie the game 1-1. His composure and finishing touch were on full display, bringing the SAP Center crowd to its feet and swinging momentum firmly in San Jose’s favor.
The period closed tied 1-1, with both teams generating quality chances but neither gaining clear control. Winnipeg held a slight 12-8 edge in shots.
If the first period was about offense, the second was all about the goalies. Hellebuyck and Nedeljkovic both stood tall, trading key saves to keep the game even. The Jets dominated possession — particularly in the middle 10 minutes — but the Sharks’ netminder was outstanding, turning aside several dangerous looks from Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi.
At the other end, Hellebuyck was equally sharp, denying Philipp Kurashev on a rebound attempt and flashing the glove on Celebrini midway through the frame. The Jets couldn’t find a break through being outshot 10-9, both goalies held their own. The second period ended the same way it started — locked at 1-1.
Both teams tightened defensively in the third, but the Sharks found the game’s decisive moment late. At 15:39, Smith saw a loose puck behind Hellebuyck in the crease and sent it home on his backhand, taking the lead and making it 2-1 late in the 3rd period.
From there, San Jose clamped down. The Jets pushed late, pulling Hellebuyck for the extra attacker with just under two minutes to go, but Nedeljkovic continued his stellar night — finishing with 32 saves on 33 shots. Hellebuyck stopped 25 of 27 but didn’t get the run support he needed.
Looking Ahead
For the Jets, this loss will sting. They controlled much of the play, won 62.5% of faceoffs, and generated strong possession numbers but couldn’t find a second goal. Meanwhile, the Sharks will take plenty of positives from this one — disciplined defense, clutch goaltending, and production from their young stars.
