The San Jose Sharks welcome the Edmonton Oilers into SAP Center.

Macklin Celebrini and Michael Misa and Barclay Goodrow and Alex Wennberg and Shakir Mukhamadullin, and the Sharks pulled it out 5-4.

Period 1

1 in: Soft Mukhamadullin play to start, kind of waves at puck in DZ, doesn’t get it out, gives it to Draisaitl, I think. Not a good start for a guy who needs it.

2 in: Smith wins it in DZ, hits Sherwood, finds Eklund in a prime spot to shoot…who tries to feed Celebrini. Turnover. That’s gotta make the San Jose Sharks coaches scratch their hair out.

5 in: Another good PK, and interesting wrinkle that almost works, Celebrini AND Smith in last 20 or so seconds of PK. They’ve done that with just Celebrini. Celebrini smells out the breakout drop pass, has a partial break, and Smith follows up with a Grade-A. Ingram coming up big.

Celebrini goal: It looks like Celebrini knew that Ingram didn’t have his stick, while Celebrini was in OZ. Then puck coming out, Ingram takes a gamble to get that stick in the corner, Smith hits Celebrini, goal. I wonder if Will knew or Celebrini called for it? You see Celebrini taking the time with his shot too, placing it where outstretched Ingram can’t get to it. Doesn’t rush it, like so many of his peers would. Starts with a Celebrini and Orlov rush chance, Hyman backchecking skates into Ingram’s stick. Stacking good plays, stacking pressure, this is what you get.

9 in: Love that Smith one-time pass to Dickinson. Great vision and execution. Draisaitl rumbles down other side though, too strong for Celebrini to fend off one-on-one. Celebrini stays with him, and it’s a tip shot for Askarov.

Misa goal: His first goal at home! Just crashing net. But great job by the second power play unit, umbrella tightens, I think Toffoli gets a shot in slot under duress, not highest velocity, but creates chaos and Sharks crash crease.

Draisaitl goal: McDavid and Draisaitl coming down, McDavid coming with puck from corner, Draisaitl down slot, Sharks know what’s coming, but that split-secondthat Draisaitl open, bang. Before that on the PK, I did like a Desharnais clear, Oilers PP1 all over the Sharks, Desharnais gets the puck, takes a beat, turns around, rims it past McDavid and Oilers point and out. That extra calm instead of firing it through McDavid is great.

Goodrow goal: Really good shift from Ostapchuk and Goodrow. Roslovic has it for a second in NZ, but Ostapchuk bullies him, coughs it up. Then in a one-on-one in DZ, Goodrow just wants it more than Savoie. That leads to San Jose Sharks getting the OZ, Ostapchuk net front on I think Klingberg shot, Goodrow pounces on rebound. But it starts with Ostapchuk and Goodrow in the other zones.

A little hairy at the end for San Jose, obviously need to weather a dangerous Oilers attack. Mukhamadullin had a big desperation save on an open net, then Askarov stepped up on a Hyman one-timer. Huge.

SHAKIR MUKHAMADULLIN FOR VEZINA pic.twitter.com/f0DrjCZpfK

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) February 28, 2026

Period 2

1 in: Dickinson does a good job battling off Draisaitl for puck. That’s impressive, that’s growth.

2 in: Have like Sherwood with Celebrini and Smith. He offers different skills which complement his linemates’ talent. Playing inside, winning that extra puck.

3 in: Misa hits Dickinson on weak side rush, Dickinson turns toward middle for pass, deflected out. Wonder if Dickinson needs more deception in his NHL offensive game, I think he does. Oilers sniffed that out with relative ease.

5 in: Bold but effective pinch by Orlov, keeps the puck in for another Celebrini chance. Mack looks like he’s back, he’s bene all over puck this afternoon.

7 in: Celebrini line goes off, Misa line comes on. I like that order, because then Celebrini is eating a little more of Misa’s TOI plus with Eklund and Toffoli. That’s no disrespect to Misa, but at this point in their careers, I’d rather have that than Celebrini taking Wennberg’s time.

9 in: Outstanding shift from Celebrini line, Macklin draws a penalty, and Sherwood helps extend a play or two. Like that whole sequence. Celebrini making Kapanen look silly.

9 left: Whoa Celebrini made McDavid look silly coming out with the puck on the PP breakout. That was a fabulous Celebrini vs. McDavid, PP vs. PK match-up. McDavid came around and had the best chance of special teams, on the ice for it, at least, a Nugent-Hopkins one-timer that Askarov had to stretch out for. Great save, chants of “Asky! Asky!”

Bouchard goal: Sequence started a minute ago with clear Klingberg possession, tries to pump it out of zone, right idea, but McDavid jumps on it, keeps it in the zone. That just kills you, and then that Wennberg line can’t get off the ice for a minute, and the best player in the world carves you up. I don’t dislike Klingberg’s game as much as the rest of the populace, but again, no illusions, there are, as I’ve said, two Sharks d-men who deserve every night spots, that’s Orlov and Ferraro. If you’re not in that group, looking at Mukhamadullin for example, that’s on you. Opportunity is there, be it in game or at practice.

Big period upcoming for the San Jose Sharks, very regular position last two years against the Oilers, got lead going into third, gotta close it out.

Period 3

Frederic goal: Sherwood has a chance in the NZ, not sure if it was a weird bounce, but he went backward with it, instead of forward. Then coming down the slot, I think Orlov can’t let that pass get to Frederic. Too easy.

Wennberg goal: Huge goal for momentum. I think it was Wennberg who came up with it in DZ, then carried it in. Marvelous pass by Kurashev, Emberson was at the post, got it through. Then Wennberg with a gorgeous backhander.

Walman goal: McDavid finds the late man, who just blows it by Askarov. Great shot but looked like sightline good enough, no deflection?

7 in: Good hustle save of puck, dive by Sherwood, that could’ve been an outnumbered going the other way.

Mukhamadullin goal: Eklund steals it from McDavid on entry, then pushes the defense back. Finds Mukhamadullin coming in, and tons of traffic, chiefly Ekholm. Love seeing Shak with a big smile, obviously a challenge of a season for him.

6 left: Have actually liked Dickinson’s game more tonight than last, but that was an example of had the puck on his stick for a sec under heavy duress, took too much time, Oilers on top of him. Lucky it led nowhere.