The San Jose Sharks’ stretch of games against Stanley Cup contenders continued with a matinee matchup against the New Jersey Devils, who are one of the NHL’s most exciting teams. The two previously met on a November night in Newark. That night, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stole the show as the Sharks escaped with a 1-0 win over a team known for its prolific scoring.
Last night’s game started off looking as if it was going to be a back-and-forth offensive duel, but the goaltenders for both teams kept it tight and tense. For New Jersey it was Jacob Markstrom who made several excellent stops against the likes of William Eklund, Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli. On the other end, it was young Yaroslav Askarov, getting the start again after shutting down the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Askarov held steady, and it turned out he needed to wait until nearly the very end of regulation to hold down the final lead.
The game went on with some back and forth goals, including a full collegiate connection between Collin Graf, Smith and Macklin Celebrini, before taking a stark turn. With just under 25 seconds left in a close, 2-2 tie, Cody Ceci’s hard blast from the blueline overpowered Markstrom’s glove hand, and gave the Sharks what stood to be the game-winning goal. The Sharks, perhaps catching the Devils partially asleep, take both wins in their season series against the second-place team in the Metropolitan Division, showing that on any given night, anything could happen in this league.
Eklund’s return to the lineup
Eklund, the Sharks energetic and creative winger, returned to action after missing four games. San Jose’s offense missed him throughout his absence as the offensive balance of the forward group was changed for the worse. Eklund’s return provided a fresh jolt of energy on the attack, and it showed right from puck drop.
Eklund’s speed down the wing and work along the boards created several chances, especially as the game felt more like a track meet in its early going. He then set up the game’s first goal, which was Nikolai Kovalenko’s first as a San Jose Shark. Eklund is already nearing last season’s assist total, when he had 29 in 80 games. With this point, he has 21 assists in 37 games. He’s taken another step in his development this season and has balanced the lineup’s offense so well. Placed in any forward trio, look for Eklund to create chances at a more consistent rate now that he’s fully healthy again. Perhaps with more efforts like these, he can be considered as a fill-in for Team Sweden at the upcoming Four Nations Tournament.
Askarov as a difference maker
Askarov has already earned significant praise in his still nascent NHL career. Through now seven starts as a Shark, the goaltender owns a 3-2-2 record. That’s only 2 regulation losses with a team that’s still swimming at the very bottom of the Pacific Division. How does he do it?
There are so many little things he does right in his game, along with his incredible athletic talent to boast. What stand out especially from these past two wins against Tampa Bay and New Jersey are his footwork and reads.
Take the two or three, or what felt like fifty, shorthanded chances Jack Hughes had in last night’s game. Hughes is extremely patient and deceptive with the puck, which makes him so hard to defend. He’s able to make a decision on a dime and strike, or hide his intention to shoot by feigning a pass. Askarov, with his patient feet, shut Hughes down on each of his best chances to snipe. Askarov trusts his reflexes and speed to fall into butterfly as soon as he needs to, or push laterally to make a sprawling save. With this faith, he can stay steady on his feet and take away as much space as possible for as long as possible. All he has to do then, is read the play and adjust accordingly.
It’s this same excellent footwork that helps him get behind the net to play the puck in a split second. This ability should not be overlooked. Askarov can prevent a team from setting up a forecheck, or even stop a team from cycling the puck around the zone, by fearlessly coming out to intercept and make a pass to his own team. Of course, many would prefer that he stays in his own goal more often than not, or at least doesn’t wait until the last second to play the puck, but that is sort of just who he is and how he plays at this stage. It would not do the Sharks well to stifle this puck-handling ability. As his teammates get used to him more, they’ll be able to anticipate his tendencies better and make for a more smooth Askarov experience. Still, it’s so fun to watch, and nice to see someone embracing his role with such self-assurance.
Due praise in light of Cody Ceci’s clutch goal
Ceci is a quality NHL defenseman. He has amassed a lengthy and successful career of 827 regular season games because he is a steady, defensively-minded and effective. It must have been difficult, after three full years in Edmonton that included an emotional run to the Stanley Cup Finals in June, to have to pack his bags and move to San Jose. The Edmonton Oilers and Sharks could not be further apart in their current status as Cup contenders. Yet, Ceci has done well so far as a Shark. He is playing his most minutes on average per game since 2018-19 and entrusted to take on some of the most difficult defensive assignments on any given night. He is also serving well as a guide and mentor to some of the Sharks younger blueliners, like Henry Thrun and Jack Thompson. These are all quiet, under-appreciated contributions. He will rarely be seen in highlights or discussed as a leader on the team, but that is not for lack of any effort and good work.
It is thus nice to see him contribute in such an obvious and special way. There he was, tasked with defending a tie in the final seconds of a game against an offensively-gifted opponent – just doing his quiet work. Alex Wennberg chased the puck deep within the Devils corner and found Ceci at the point with some room. Ceci took a smart, hard shot on goal. The goal horn went off, and Sharks fans went home happy. In the hours after, the limelight will shift back to the team’s stars, but Ceci will continue doing exactly what brought him here in the first place. It will be good work, and the team will be better off for it.
Scoring summary New Jersey Devils vs. San Jose Sharks Jan. 4, 2025
First Period
17:40 SJS Nikolai Kovalenko from William Eklund and Luke Kunin
Second Period
4:19 NJD Nico Hischier from Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt
Third Period
1:53 SJS Macklin Celebrini from Will Smith and Colin Graf
5:07 NJD Paul Cotter from Luke Hughes
19:35 SJS Cody Ceci from Alex Wennberg
