“Good bounce. I think the first one was a good tip,” Huberdeau said. “I am just playing my game, and it is going in right now, so hopefully it keeps going.”
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov stops a shot as Jonathan Huberdeau (10) looks for the rebound – Photo by Jack Lima
Nazem Kadri had two assists, and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames (17-11-7), who have won three of their past five games. Dustin Wolf made 21 saves.
“It was a close game tonight. I liked our game tonight,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said. “I thought we played a solid 50 minutes, and at the end, to be expected, they pushed, and we got the saves we needed.”
Ty Dellandrea (53) Kevin Rooney (21) and Linesperson Joe Mahon follow the puck after a faceoff – Photo by Jack Lima
Macklin Celebrini scored for the Sharks (11-22-6), and Yaroslav Askarov made 30 saves. San Jose has lost seven straight and is 1-9-1 in its past 11 games.
“[We] just couldn’t get into the game early in the first,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “[Our] puck play, [we were] soft in front of our net, and then we got to going there in the third, but it’s too late.”
Huberdeau put the Flames up 1-0 at 4:40 of the first period by deflecting MacKenzie Weegar’s slap shot from the right point.
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov covers the puck as Flames forwards Connor Zary (47) and Jacob Pelletier (22) look for a rebound as Marrio Ferraro (38) and Barclay Goodrow (23) defend – Photo by Jack Lima
Celebrini tied the game 1-1 for the Sharks at 3:04 of the second period with a power-play goal. Alexander Wennberg made a pass from the left wing across the ice to Celebrini for a one-timer into an open net.
“Trailing at the start of the game, it’s not easy,” Celebrini said. “I thought overall, we did a lot of really good things, and we had a lot of chances that could have gone in on a different night.”
Backlund put the Flames back in front 2-1 with a power-play goal at 6:50. Kadri’s shot from the right face-off circle hit Askarov’s pad and bounced to the right for Backlund to beat Askarov through the five-hole.
“I thought our effort was there and we played with some pace,” Backlund said. “Coming out of the break, it was a big effort all the way to the end.”
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov (30) stops a shot by Mikael Backlund (11) – Photo by Jack Lima
Huberdeau tapped in the empty net goal at 19:59 of the third period for the 3-1 final.
NOTES: Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, leads all NHL rookies with 12 goals and is tied for first with Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers with 27 points. … Wolf, born in Gilroy, approximately 30 miles from San Jose, earned his 19th career win to tie Collin Delia for the second most by a California-born goaltender in NHL history. Wolf earned his 11th victory of the season to extend his League lead for most among rookie goaltenders. … Forward Carl Grundstrum left the game in the first period for the Sharks after taking a big hit from Brayden Pachal. Warsofsky did not have an update postgame. … Klim Kostin returned to the Sharks lineup after missing the previous six games. … William Eklund missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Jake Walman missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury.
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov (30) makes a glove save on a shot by Ryan Lomberg (70) – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (71) controls the puck after a faceoff win against Yegor Sharangovich (17) – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund checks Blake Colman (20 into the boards – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren (37) blocks a shot by Mikael Backlund (11) – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta (84) ties up Ryan Lomberg (70) chasing the puck – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci (4) checks Nazem Kadri (91) off the puck – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks Alexandar Wennberg (21) and Cody Ceci, center, fight Calgary’s Jonathan Huberdeau (10) and Connor Zarry, right, for the puck along the boards – Photo by Jack Lima
Kevin Rooney (21) attempts to reach around Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin (85) for the puck – Photo by Jack Lima
Flames forward Mikael Backlund (11) celebrates his second period goal with Martin Pospisil (76) – Photo by Jack Lima
Flames forward Blake Coleman waits for the puck drop on a faceoff – Photo by Jack Lima
Connor Zary (47) attempts to control the puck as Ty Dellandrea (53) applies pressure
Calgary forward Connor Zary concentrates on the puck pior to a faceoff – Photo by Jack Lima
Brayden Pachal (94) moves the puck around the net as Macklin Celebrini (71) pursues – Photo by Jack Lima