The San Jose Sharks welcome the Florida Panthers into SAP Center.

Macklin Celebrini and Adam Gaudette and Alex Wennberg scored, Yaroslav Askarov made 37 saves, and the Sharks won 3-1.

Period 1

4 in: Like the shift from Wennberg line. They’re on it, on forecheck.

6 in: A little bit of a panic pass by Dickinson under duress in slot? He passes into his own slot, dangerous.  Gaudette does a good job stickhandling his way out from the pressure. For Dickinson, have to re-watch, but were there more options than the most dangerous area of the ice? Anywhere perimeter?

7 in: Beaut Toffoli set-up of Celebrini in front of net. Big Tarasov save, Celebrini mad he missed his chance there. San Jose Sharks’ 8-2 shots, continuing where they left off.

9 in: Dickinson thought he had a chance to do something with puck along wall, but 6-foot-6 Mikkola reminded him that he’s in the NHL. Dickinson got completely separated from the puck. Dickinson looking like he’s got to be more on time.

10 in: Klingberg pulls it back from Lundell in a move reminiscent of his old days.

7 left: Sharks 13-5 shots, but I feel they’ve been a little sloppy. More careless with the puck than you like. Clean that up, they should be golden. Feels like Florida doesn’t have a lot of shots, but they’ve been good ones.

That’s a gorgeous Graf set-up up Wennberg, great vision by Graf to let Kurashev pass go, and just touch it to Wennberg on weak side. Marchand defends Wennberg well though, pushing him out the middle of the ice.

I don’t love this though, Kurashev then goes solo into double coverage in OZ. Jesus, Sharks playing with a lot of balls now lol. Florida turns it over, but Graf follows up, as does Wennberg, so it’s not a clean exit. That’s what I’m saying about sloppy. Sharks are turning it over, but Panthers haven’t made them pay yet.

Fun Orlov-Smith switch, Orlov was the net front guy, deflected long Smith shot.

4 left: Orlov just took it from Bennett along wall on PK. He’s playing with a lot of confidence.

Celebrini goal: Ekblad just misplayed the puck in the corner, a routine play, and Smith pounced on it. Looks like Celebrini saw a hiccup and raced down the slot, seeing it before everybody.

Period 2

2 in: Good patience by Dickinson on that breakout. Waits out forecheck, hits I think Cardwell for easy exit.

Gaudette goal: Off the draw that Gaudette wins, he races to the front, Panthers lose him, it’s an easy deflection goal. Credit to Gaudette, he just knew he was open, he looked back at point, and beelined to the front.

Marchand goal: Orlov had a couple chances to advance it on the initial dump-in. Haven’t seen it a lot recently, but Sharks were bullied a little down low by Panthers, and they didn’t pick up Marchand.

7 in: Nice play by Gaudette, coming out to front, Reaves on side of net, seems like Gaudette feints low-to-high pass, but instead, he does a quick pass across crease to Reaves. Doesn’t connect, but chaos, all three forwards banging away at loose puck.

9 in: Like that from Graf along DZ wall. There’s no play to center speed, he eats puck, doesn’t force pass to middle of the ice. Live to fight another day. Florida taking over in this period, again, San Jose Sharks have been sloppy.

Reaves penalty: Unfortunate timing, as the third and fourth line had back-to-back forecheck shifts, no chances, but really in Panthers’ kitchen. Kind of shifts that were restoring order. But now, the PK will need to step up again.

5 left: Great PK shift from Desharnais. 3-on-5, for a second, loose puck in front for Reinhart, Vinny takes the man and not the puck. I mean, it’s interference, but I think it’s a smart gamble there that the ref isn’t going to call that one. Then gets puck in front, chance to blast it out, but doesn’t panic, no pressure on him, he gives it to Goodrow, who eats more time.

Huge kill for the Sharks, hopefully, they can up their pace and precision rest of the game, do the PK justice.

3 left: That’s a start. Dickinson lofts a gorgeous backhand area pass that Smith can skate into, he whips it back to trailer Toffoli, for Sharks’ best chance in a while.

2 left: Ekblad giving it to Celebrini. Cross-check into his mid-section, didn’t push forward much, but basically let Celebrini skate into the cross-check. Hopefully, Celebrini okay. It’s cheap play from Florida, but it’s also how you win in the NHL, as the Sharks will learn in the coming years. No one cares that Celebrini was the No. 1 pick or just a teenager. Well, maybe the NHL should, but until they really do, that’s life as the clear-cut best player on the other team, target on your back.

The Panthers wanted to make sure that Celebrini didn’t build up speed from the DZ, and one way to do it is to park him by getting the Sharks to take penalties. Celebrini at just 10:28 through two periods.

Period 3

Marchand had Orlov beat there 2-on-2 rush, Liljegren laying out prevented a 2-on-1 chance.

8 in: Toffoli with a gorgeous bounce stretch pass to Smith past a Panther, but Smith was end of shift.

9 in: Was about to credit Panthers for terrific NZ defense on Wennberg trying to skate up, but as Remenda noted, they had too many men on the ice, uncalled.

10 in: Marvelous Askarov save on Rodrigues, Reinhart beat Klingberg and Reaves with backhand chip pass. San Jose Sharks need to dig deep to find another level of play.

9  in: Not a great Smith shift. Mikkola won’t let him out as Sharks try to exit strong side. Then Smith had puck in corner with some time and space, soft pass, intercepted in DZ.

Celebrini penalty: Macklin on Mackie Samoskevich. Celebrini has words, probably to the effect of, “You’re calling that?” except more colorful I’m sure.

Penalties, fair or not, have crippled Sharks’ offense, but I think sometimes, they need to simplify, get it in deep, go to work. Third and fourth lines doing it, the others haven’t as well tonight.

2 left: Smith had puck and the easy exit, 2-on-2, up the ice, but again, soft pass to Toffoli, intercepted in DZ. That absolutely CANNOT happen. Can’t be unselfish, and if you’re tired, then get it in deep without icing.