The San Jose Sharks are no longer just chasing a playoff spot. They are pushing for it.
With the regular season winding down and every game tightening the Western Conference race, San Jose delivered one of its most important wins of the season; a 4-3 comeback over the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center. Against a division leader near the top of the conference, the Sharks showed they can compete with the NHL’s best when it matters most.
The Sharks entered the night sitting just behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild card spot, with a game in hand. Not long ago, they were coming off a six-game losing streak that threatened to sink their season. Now, they have won three straight and are back in the race, turning what once looked like a lost stretch into real momentum.
“A win at this time of year is a win, and you take it,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said.
San Jose started strong, setting the tone early in a game they could not afford to let slip away. At 15:23 in the first period, Will Smith opened the scoring on the power play, finishing a clean setup from Macklin Celebrini to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead and early control.
Anaheim answered late in the period when Ryan Poehling tied the game, shifting momentum heading into the intermission. The Ducks carried that into the second period, where Alex Killorn gave them a 2-1 lead. The Sharks had chances, including a Celebrini shot that rang off the post, but struggled to convert as Anaheim tightened defensively and controlled long stretches of play.
For parts of the game, it looked like the Sharks were slipping back into old patterns. Strong starts followed by missed chances and costly mistakes. But this time, they didn’t break.
“We just kept playing, just kept competing,” Warsofsky said. “It’s just not going to be perfect. In any situation you’re gonna go through adversity… you just got to keep playing, and you’re going to keep competing, stick together.”
That approach showed immediately in the third period. Just 27 seconds in, Celebrini tied the game 2-2 with a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Smith, bringing life back into the building and resetting the game.
Anaheim responded again. Troy Terry capitalized on a turnover early in the third, giving the Ducks a 3-2 lead and putting San Jose back in a late-game deficit with time starting to run out. Against one of the top teams in the conference, it was the kind of moment that could define a season.
Instead, it revealed something about who the Sharks are becoming. Down to the final minutes, they turned to their best player. Celebrini delivered.
With 1:39 left in regulation, he scored to tie the game 3-3, firing a wrist shot through traffic from the circle. The play was made possible by Alexander Wennberg, who set a perfect screen in front.
“He took the whole thing away. the goalie couldn’t see anything, and I had the whole side of the net,” Celebrini said. “That’s not going in if he’s not in front.”
The building erupted, but the Sharks stayed composed, knowing the job wasn’t finished. Just 68 seconds later, Celebrini controlled the puck behind the net and found Wennberg alone in the slot. Wennberg buried the chance with 31 seconds left, completing the comeback and sending the Sharks to one of their biggest wins of the year.
“I think it was just excitement,” Celebrini said “You heard the building is loud, and that’s a big win for us.”
For much of the season, games like this went the other way. Close losses, late mistakes, missed opportunities. Now, San Jose is finding ways to close, leaning into a simpler, more disciplined style when the pressure is at it’s highest.
“We just kind of kept it simple, just played in behind them, not give them any momentum, and at the end there we buried when it counted the most,” Celebrini said. “Every guy just did their job… we played simple and we didn’t force anything, and that’s what led to those goals.”
Warsofsky has emphasized that mindset all season, especially with a young roster learning how to handle meaningful games. The growth is starting to show in how the team responds to adversity.
“No one thought we’d be here, let’s be honest,” Warsofsky said. “And here we are, and we’re going to embrace it, and we’re going to keep going.”
San Jose is playing like a team that expects to be there, embracing the pressure and learning how to win in it.
“We got to get comfortable being uncomfortable,” Warsofsky said. “And that’s been the message all year long.”
For Celebrini, this stretch is new territory. The rookie is experiencing a playoff push for the first time, and he is embracing both the moment and the responsibility that comes with it.
“We’re winning games and we’re making a push. This is exciting,” he said. “I haven’t really been through this before, and I’m just trying to soak it up.”
There is still work to do. The standings remain tight, and every remaining game will carry weight as the Sharks try to complete their climb into the postseason. The Sharks understand what is in front of them. A playoff spot is within reach, but nothing is guaranteed. What they have now is momentum, belief, and proof that they can beat top teams when it matters.
“We just play, and we’re gonna continue to do that until game 82,” Warsofsky said.
Against one of the best teams in the conference, they proved they belong in the fight. Now, the push continues.
