Rookie Macklin Celebrini scored two goals and added an assist to help the San Jose Sharks defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-3 on Thursday.
Jake Walman contributed a goal and an assist, Tyler Toffoli scored, and Nikolai Kovalenko had three assists as the Sharks ended their three-game losing streak.
Alexandar Georgiev made 17 saves in his Sharks debut. He and Kovalenko were traded from the Colorado Avalanche for Mackenzie Blackwood and Givani Smith on Monday.
Jake Neighbours scored a goal and added an assist for the Blues, who had just their second loss in regulation in the last eight games (5-2-1) since Jim Montgomery became the coach.
Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou also scored for the Blues, while Jordan Binnington made 27 saves.
Toffoli gave the Sharks the lead just 1:21 into the game. He scored off a rebound after Binnington turned the puck over behind his net.
Neighbours tied the game 1-1 midway through the first period. He received a pass from Ryan Suter, skated up the left wing, and scored with a toe-drag move to the middle.
Celebrini gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead at 5:43 in the second period. He raced up the left wing, tried to pass to Toffoli, but the pass was blocked by Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. The puck bounced back to Celebrini, who scored as Binnington was caught out of position.
The Sharks pressured on a late second-period power play. Celebrini finished the flurry by scoring from the left faceoff dot off a pass from Mikael Granlund at 19:53, giving the Sharks a 3-1 lead.
Schenn cut the lead to 3-2 with a rebound goal at 5:34 in the third period after Mathew Kessel shot the puck into traffic.
However, just 27 seconds later, Walman scored to make it 4-2 from the left wing on a two-on-one pass from Kovalenko.
Kyrou answered back, making it 4-3 by scoring off a touch pass from Pavel Buchnevich at 7:57.
With Binnington pulled for an extra attacker, Buchnevich hit the left post in the final moments, and St. Louis’ comeback attempt fell short.
