Oct 18, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) skates with the puck within the first interval in opposition to the Ottawa Senators on the Canadian Tire Centre. Obligatory Credit score: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Pictures Macklin Celebrini, the primary choose within the 2024 NHL Draft, has a singular understanding of what Matthew Schaefer, the highest choice on this yr’s draft, is experiencing this season.
On Tuesday night time, Celebrini and his San Jose Sharks teammates want to expertise what Schaefer and each different NHL participant has already loved this season.
The Sharks will look to turn into the final NHL crew to earn a win once they open a four-game highway journey by visiting Schaefer and the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.
Each groups have been off since Saturday, when the Sharks fell to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 and the Islanders overcame an early two-goal deficit to edge the host Ottawa Senators, 5-4.
A season-opening droop has turn into commonplace for the Sharks, who’re winless via no less than 5 video games (0-3-2) for the fourth straight season. San Jose was 0-5-0 to open the 2022-23 marketing campaign earlier than enduring skids of 11 video games (0-10-1) and 9 video games (0-7-2) to start every of the subsequent two seasons.
The Sharks have 13 targets, tied for the second fewest within the NHL getting into Monday however greater than they’d via the primary 5 video games in every of the earlier three seasons. Celebrini leads San Jose with 5 factors (one objective, 4 assists).
The loss Saturday was the third straight regulation defeat for the Sharks, who’ve been outscored 14-4 by the Penguins, Utah Mammoth and Carolina Hurricanes during the last three video games. San Jose hasn’t held a lead since Oct. 11, when it squandered a trio of two-goal leads in a 7-6 time beyond regulation loss to the Anaheim Geese.
The Sharks additionally frittered away three one-goal leads of their season opener, a 4-3 time beyond regulation loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
“We’re annoyed — belief me, our gamers are extraordinarily annoyed, as is the employees,” Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky mentioned. “We’re 5 video games into this factor. What’s occurred has occurred. We have set to work. I’ve bought to get this crew to enhance and people to enhance. It is on me.”
The Islanders have been removed from excellent throughout a 2-3-0 begin, however consecutive wins have eased a few of their frustrations on each ends of the ice.
New York, which rode a pure hat trick from Bo Horvat to a come-from-behind 4-2 win over the two-time defending Western Convention champion Edmonton Oilers final Thursday, fell behind Ottawa 2-0 early within the second interval Saturday and did not lead till Anders Lee scored with 63 seconds left.
The Islanders have been outshot 66-48 of their wins after outshooting the Penguins, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets 108-83 within the three losses.
“I simply assume it was a type of nights the place we’re buying and selling rushes and buying and selling alternatives,” Lee mentioned following Saturday’s win. “You do not need to see that each night time, nevertheless it does not matter. We discovered a method to grind ourselves again into this and simplify issues somewhat bit within the third interval.”
The win was the primary of the season for goalie Ilya Sorokin, who preserved a one-goal deficit by turning again Shane Pinto’s penalty shot 2:23 into the third. Pinto was dragged down by Schaefer throughout a breakaway.
Schaefer collected the secondary help on Lee’s first objective within the second interval and has some extent in every of the Islanders’ video games. The 18-year-old is the youngest defenseman ever to document some extent in every of his first 5 NHL video games in addition to the primary defenseman chosen with the No. 1 choose to take action.
–Discipline Degree Media
