The San Jose Sharks welcome the Dallas Stars into SAP Center.

Alex Wennberg and Jeff Skinner and Adam Gaudette and Tyler Toffoli (twice) scored, and the Sharks won 5-4 in OT.

Period 1

3 in: Stars control the start, but San Jose Sharks respond with back-to-back Grade-A chances, Chernyshov to Celebrini, then vice versa. Big DeSmith saves.

6 in: Veteran patience by Wennberg, under duress in DZ, don’t force play forward into likely turnover, turn back and calm it down. Small play that I feel takes youngsters some time to learn.

Hryckowian goal: That hurts. Iorio fumbles at blueline, not a ton of pressure on him, and at his level, that mistake gets pounced on in a hurry for a breakaway. That’s an NHL-AHL difference there. But the important thing, as always, for a young defenseman, how does Iorio respond? Flush it.

8 left: Ostapchuk line seems a little more on time on the forecheck today. And I like how Ostapchuk played that developing 2-on-1, stayed back to prevent the lead pass, which also bought time for his teammate to catch up to equal up the counterattack. Offsides anyway.

That’s a breakdown: Leddy up on play, maybe he shouldn’t be? Have to re-watch. Blackwell beats Graf down the ice (Dickinson had the passer). Blackwell says Nedeljkovic tripped him, but no call. Sharks escaped a bad one there.

6 left: Celebrini enters the zone with possession slow, a good time to time change-up for him.

4 left: Good work up high by Skinner and I think Gaudette to prevent Stars exit. Save for the goal allowed, Sharks have been solid since early part of period.

Brilliant back-handed Celebrini set-up of Chernyshov, another DeSmith stop. Then Celebrini skates it up from NZ, shakes Duchene, then splits a layer of the Stars’ defense for a clean entry pass to Chernyshov. A jaw-dropping sequence.

Rantanen goal: Not a shift to remember for Leddy. Hurts too, because Sharks have actually played a solid period except for blueliner mishaps. Leddy was about to be called for the penalty, Stars cycle keeps going, and Leddy can’t untangle himself from Nedeljkovic in front, he actually prevents his own goalie from having a fair chance for the save. Tough pill to swallow with 56 seconds left too. This is one of the periods that does, honestly, highlight what’s holding Sharks’ back from being a sure-fire playoff team. Defense is not to be trusted, yet.

Period 2

3 in: Good, assertive kill by the San Jose Sharks against a top PP. Hopefully, this gives them so “Mo.”

Wennberg goal: Sweet pass by the Mack. Give-and-go with Wennberg, Celebrini finds the soft spot for Wennberg one-timer. Orlov does a nice job of keeping it in, to start.

7 in: Huge chance, off Sharks’ PP, DeSmith gives up a soft rebound on a long shot and Gaudette right there. Soft rebound but DeSmith makes the 10-bell save.

9 in: Good extra effort defensive recovery by Toffoli on Bourque. Those are little winning things that you don’t always see from a team. Like when a team is playing hard but not balls-out hard.

Skinner goal: Great pass by Gaudette on entry, he absorbs pressure high which opens up the wing entry. Then Chernyshov with a deceptive pass to Skinner in the slot, right under Lyubushkin. High-end pass from Chernyshov. Chernyshov has been a little quiet recently, so love to see a rookie bounce back from a lull, which will happen in a rookie season. He’s been excellent tonight.

Capobianco goal: Clear-cut 2-on-1, Ferraro pinched and didn’t have the support behind him. But Leddy got in the way of the pass, Nedeljkovic wants that back, I think. Tough one to give up, under a minute left, period you’ve been dominating. Two goals against tonight, under a minute left in the period.

Period 3

2 in: Big kill again by the Sharks, banner effort so far against a top PP.

Rantanen goal: Dominating game by the big winger. He basically wins the puck in a one-on-one with the pretty big himself Ostapchuk. From that point on, it’s pinball. Initial shot hits Goodrow, caroms off a couple other things, and Rantanen finds it in the air. Starts with, Remenda calls this put, but Leddy isn’t decisive on Capobianco entry. Lets him in and Stars able to wheel around zone. Fourth line actually a much better game than last.

Toffoli goal: Celebrini just commands so much attention. Up high, Back can’t keep up, opening a pass-shot lane for Macklin.  Heiskanen steps up, Celebrini passes it through him, Lindell just a second behind Toffoli, goal. Don’t cheer for the tacos, cheer for the MVP.

Don’t cheer for the tacos, cheer for the MVP.

What a pass by Celebrini! https://t.co/U9HwiiTXe9

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 10, 2026

Gaudette goal: Great play by Dickinson! Solid all-around effort from him tonight. Credit to Leddy too, tough game tonight for him, but he made a move in the NZ that helped the Sharks gain entry with possession.

Dueling breakaway saves there, Regenda then Johnston.

Really impressed by the Sharks tonight. Dug in there, some bounces go against them, just kept going to get a point against a rested Dallas. I might be crossing the Randy Hahn Rubicon lol.

OT

Wennberg-Celebrini-Orlov to start.

Orlov impressive takedown of Rantanen.