Credit Drew Remenda for calling it, last night’s game in Minnesota was certainly thrilling and Kirill Kaprisov and Will Smith were in the middle of it all. Kaprisov had two goals and an assist, while Smith had a goal and three assists as the Minnesota Wild topped the San Jose Sharks 8-7 in overtime.
The game featured 15 goals and two hat tricks, including the very first hat trick of Macklin Celebrini’s young career. Celebrini finished the night with five points, giving him 62 points for the season and placing him in sole possession of the Sharks’ rookie scoring record that was previously held by Pat Falloon (59 points).
San Jose opened the scoring at 12:11 with a clean shot from Tyler Toffoli, his 29th of the year.
The goal was set up beautifully by William Eklund, who pulled a defender wide, and Alexander Wennberg, who slid the puck across the slot. it was exactly the kind of early confidence the Sharks needed.
But Minnesota answered fast. Just two minutes later, Marcus Johansson redirected a pass to even things up.
Then, at 18:48, Brock Faber gave the Wild the lead, flipping the tone heading into the intermission.
The second period was a rollercoaster. It started with brilliance: Celebrini made the score even with a snipe at 7:29.
The celebration didn’t last long, though. Just 18 seconds later, Joel Eriksson Ek , back from a long layoff due to injury scored for the Wild to reclaim the lead. Eriksson Ek capitalized on a defensive breakdown and it wouldn’t be the first time Sharks’ fans heard his name called last night.
The Sharks didn’t give up. Carl Grundstrom scored at 8:35, tapping in a rebound from a Cam Lund shot to make it 3–3.
Then came the magic again from Celebrini. At 12:28, he flew up the wing and finished a nice passing play from Smith and Timothy Liljegren, giving the Sharks a 4–3 lead. It was Celebrini’s second of the night.
But just when it felt like the Sharks were pulling away, the penalties started piling up. A roughing call between Grundstrom and Matt Boldy at 15:35 was followed by William Eklund taking a tripping penalty and then a high-sticking call on Alex Wennberg at 19:30.
Then, through all the action, Kaprizov tied it 4–4 with a power-play goal.
And then Eriksson Ek scored again in the final seconds to put the Wild back on top.
The Sharks went from leading to trailing in a matter of minutes, a signature this year.
Just 37 seconds into the third, Lucas Carlsson took a tripping penalty, and the Wild took full advantage. Eriksson Ek completed the hat trick at 1:02, tapping in a net-front pass from Kaprizov on the power play.
Then, a minute later, he struck again, for his fourth of the night.
Down 7–4 and reeling, San Jose could’ve folded, but they didn’t.
Nikolai Kovalenko chipped in a rebound goal at 4:44 to cut the Wild’s lead to two.
It shifted the momentum. A few minutes later, Celebrini made history and pulled out the hat trick.
It was Celebrini’s third multi-goal game, and tied the franchise record for most goals by a Sharks rookie.
Will Smith then tied it at 7–7 with 52 seconds left and an empty Sharks’ net.
It was his fourth goal in four games and another reminder of how electric he’s been down the stretch. Smith has jumped into sole possession of fourth place in the rookie scoring race.
After all that, the game came down to overtime. Kaprizov made sure it didn’t last long. He snuck behind the Sharks’ defense, took a pass from Mats Zuccarello, and buried a puck just over a minute into overtime. Minnesota escaped with the win, and San Jose was left with a single point and a ton of “what ifs.”
This one stings. San Jose showed heart and serious offensive firepower. The Sharks allowed four power-play goals and couldn’t slow down Eriksson Ek, who finished with four goals and five points.
It’s not a moral victory, but it is a reminder of how dangerous this young Sharks core could become once it finds structure behind the scoring.
Luke Schumann
Last night was a remarkable game by the Sharks, with the team’s youngest players tallying points like never before in this season. Among the many highlights from the Sharks’ wild night in Minnesota, one moment stood out far beyond the scoreboard. A very important factor is who was there to witness it all in his hometown. Luke Schumann, who had previously met Celebrini through a Make-A-Wish experience, was present at the game, and his excitement was palpable as he cheered on the rookie sensation.
Celebrini’s impressive performance, including a hat trick, not only thrilled fans but also held special significance for Luke, reinforcing the profound impact of the Sharks’ community initiatives.
Luke was shown on the broadcast saying, “That’s my friend!” after the action.
To have Luke in the building—cheering as Celebrini scored a hat trick and played one of the best games of his young NHL career—was nothing short of magical. It wasn’t just a big night for the Sharks’ future on the ice but a reminder of the joy and connection that hockey can bring. What an inspirational night.
Scoring summary San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild April 9, 2025
First Period
12:11 SJS Tyler Toffoli from William Eklund and Alexander Wennberg
14:16 MIN Marcus Johansson from Frederick Gaudreau and Gustav Nyquist
18:48 MIN Brock Faber from Matt Boldy
Second Period
7:29 SJS Macklin Celebrini from Jack Thompson and Will Smith
7:47 MIN Joel Eriksson Ek from Marcus Foligno and Matt Boldy
8:35 SJS Carl Grundstrom from Cam Lund
12:28 SJS Macklin Celebrini from Will Smith and Timothy Liljegren
17:02 MIN Kirill Kaprizov from Mats Zuccarello and Marco Rossi on the power play
19:48 MIN Joel Eriksson Ek from Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy on the power play
Third Period
1:02 MIN Joel Eriksson Ek from Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on the powe play
2:06 MIN Joel Eriksson Ek from Matt Boldy and Marcus Foligno
4:44 SJS Nikolai Kovalenko from Macklin Celebrini and Henry Thrun
10:02 SJS Macklin Celebrini from Will Smith and Jack Thompson
19:08 SJS Will Smith from Timothy Liljegren and Macklin Celebrini with an empty net
Overtime
1:01 MIN Kirill Kaprizov from Mats Zuccarello and Jared Spurgeon
