Celebrini scores 10th goal as Sharks top Panthers for 3rd straight win

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Macklin Celebrini scored his 10th goal of the season and the San Jose Sharks defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Saturday night.

Adam Gaudette and Alexander Wennberg also scored for San Jose (7-6-3), which has won three consecutive games and five of six. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves to shut down the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

Brad Marchand scored in his fourth straight game, the longest streak by a Panthers player 37 or older. Marchand needs four points to become the 102nd player in NHL history to reach 1,000.

The 19-year-old Celebrini, the top pick in the 2024 NHL draft, scored with 2:35 remaining in the first period. That gave him 24 points this season, matching the most by a teenager in his team’s first 16 games.

Sidney Crosby (2006-07) and Hall of Famers Steve Yzerman (1984-85) and Wayne Gretzky (1980-81) also share the mark.

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