Macklin Celebrini helps Sharks earn rare win over Hurricanes

Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists to lead the San Jose Sharks past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Sunday in Raleigh, N.C.

Defenseman John Klingberg and Alex Wennberg each had a goal and an assist and Collin Graf also scored for the Sharks, who had lost two in a row. Alex Nedeljkovic made 28 saves.

The win also snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Hurricanes. San Jose had last defeated Carolina on Nov. 22, 2021.

Jordan Staal got the lone goal for the Hurricanes, who had won three of their last four and were playing the second game of a back-to-back. They beat the Nashville Predators 6-3 on Saturday night in Raleigh.

Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 18 shots.

San Jose scored twice in the second period to take a 3-1 lead.

Klingberg gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead 7:54 into the second when he roofed a one-timer from the slot as he worked a give and go with Celebrini, who was in the right corner.

Celebrini then drew a tripping penalty on Jackson Blake late in the period and Wennberg's power-play goal 23 seconds later made it a two-goal lead with 4:46 left in the middle period. Wennberg, at the bottom of the right circle, fired in a rebound of William Eklund's shot from the slot.

Celebrini's empty-net goal clinched it with 1:20 left.

The game was tied at 1 after the first period.

Graf opened the scoring 33 seconds into the game when he tipped in Celebrini's pass. Celebrini made the pass from the high slot as Graf was cutting to the net from the left wing for his second goal in two games.

Carolina tied it on Staal's power-play goal with 6:42 left in the opening period. He tipped defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere's shot out of the air and through Nedeljkovic. It was the Hurricane captain's first power-play goal in over four calendar years. His last one had come in October 2021.