Author’s note: I apologize for the tardiness of this quick bites. I went to the game, but have been under the weather and unable to finish it up.
The San Jose Sharks managed to hang with the Dallas Stars and show that this team has some of the skill that it needs to play among the best in the NHL, but that finish isn’t quite there. The best teams in the NHL know how to negate mistakes, and the Sharks, well, they’re still learning.
The biggest mistake is likely the one that cost the team the game. Just moments after Collin Graf scored to pull the Sharks within a goal in the second period, Alex Nedeljkovic went behind the net to play the puck. He held on to it for a beat too long and gave the Stars time to swarm. Then, he gave up the puck, leading to an easy turnover and goal.
After the game, he talked about the play.
“They took the wall away. I think they were coming hard. I think I made the play earlier in the game. So I just tried to … I thought we had an opportunity there and maybe hit the middle. I just didn’t execute
on the play,” said Nedeljkovic.
For his part, forward Alex Wennberg, who Nedeljkovic tried to hit with the pass tried to take some heat off of his netminder.
“Ned is a really good puck-playing goalie, and, obviously, it is what it is, but I don’t really have a comment. I feel like he’s a really good goalie. I should read a little bit better. But, unfortunately, that happened,” said Wennberg.
For his part, Nedeljkovic was critical of his own play last night, knowing that he has to be better in the net.
“It was fine,” said the goaltender when asked about his game. “I mean, would have been nice to get out of the first maybe only down one. I got caught checking when he made the pass on the first goal, so I was just a split second behind, and then maybe a little deep on the second one. So you probably could have left that period tied 0-0, honestly. Not my best. Could have been a difference tonight.”
For Nedeljkovic, it’s about forgetting Thursday night, watching the tape and getting ready for his next start, whenever that might be.
Solid showing against one of the league’s best teams
That said, the Sharks had a solid showing against one of the best teams in the league. Looking at Natural Stat Trick’s Corsi in all situations, you can see that the Sharks skated with the Stars and other than a few let downs here and there in the game, kept up with the pace of play.
It was a much better game than the Sharks’ last go around with Dallas, and some of that has to do with the performance of the top line of Graf, Macklin, Celebrini and Igor Chernyshov. The trio again gave a strong showing, with Chernyshov getting another assist and Graf adding two goals. They were the team’s top forwards according to HockeyStatCards.
In the postgame media scrum, Wennberg complimented Graf’s performance.
“I always love Graffy’s [Graf’s] game. I mean, he can play offensively, defensively, doing the right things, obviously. Right now, he’s moving up, playing with Mack [Celebrini], but you can see he’s grown into … just playing better and better. So for him to get the confidence to score the goals, but it’s a lot of little things he does as well that makes a big difference. So it’s just really fun to watch his game,” said Wennberg.
Highlight
If you want an idea of what the future of the San Jose Sharks will look like, look no further than what happened on the Sharks’ third goal of the game, when the top line – Chernyshov, Celebrini and Graf – connected in a highlight reel goal.
The way the trio connected was pure poetry and it bodes well for what can happen this time next season.
Scoring summary Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks Dec. 18, 2025
First period
12:25 DAL Roope Hintz from Mikko Rantanen and Esa Lindell
17:38 DAL Wyatt Johnston from Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell
Second period
1:43 SJS Shakir Mukhamadullin from Ty Dellandrea
8:40 DAL Wyatt Johnston from Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz on the power play
16:44 SJS Collin Graf from Macklin Celebrini
19:17 DAL Justin Hryckowian unassisted
Third period
4:32 SJS Collin Graf from Igor Chernyshov and Macklin Celebrini
18:42 DAL Jamie Benn unassisted into the empty net
