Sharks Score Late Goal to Down Devils | GAME STORY

SAN JOSE, CA - With just over 30 seconds remaining in regulation, Jonas Siegenthaler attempted to clear the puck along the boards in the corner but instead of rimming around out of danger, the puck hit the linesman in the corner, negating Siegenthaler's clearing attempt.

Instead, the puck remained in play, paving the way for Sharks Alex Wenneberg to feed the puck up to the blueline where defenseman Cody Ceci was waiting to fire a slapshot through traffic. With just 24 seconds remaining on the clock Ceci's shot wired past the goal line to send the home team into a raucous cheer.

Ceci's goal put the Sharks up 3-2 on New Jersey and with little time left on the clock to push back, the Devils saw their losing-streak extend to four games. It's the longest stretch of regulation losses for the Devils this season.

"Going through a tough stretch, it’s obviously not something you want to have happen but at the same time, we’re such a good time, this stuff happens," Paul Cotter, who scored his ninth goal of the season, said. "And hopefully, this is the only time it happens and we can learn from it and hereon out get back to our game.”

The Devils have returned from the holiday break facing their biggest adversity of the year yet, after putting together some of their best hockey just prior to the three days off.

“Definitely some structured things, we’re not dialed in anymore,” Nico Hischier said of the difference between his teams performances before and after the break. “We’re giving them way too easy offense, pucks on their own sticks and even against teams like (San Jose) they’re going to make you pay for it. Just not as sharp and we’ve got to dig in. Come out better on the other side but it definitely sucks right now.”

“The structure is off because we’re not working, we’re not skating, we’re not connected as a result," head coach Sheldon Keefe added. "When you’re just off by one stride, this is the NHL, if you’re off by one stride, hanging around on offense or you swing away, you expose the game unnecessarily. It opens up the game for the opposition and you’re less likely to get the chances yourself to get the chances the other way. A lot of why we’re not scoring is connected to the fact that we’re not defending properly. We’re not defending hard enough. You get what you deserve.”

Sharks winger Nikolai Kovalenko opened the scoring for the Sharks in the first period and Nico Hischier scored his 19th of the season in the second period as the Sharks and Devils entered the final 20 minutes of regulation in a tied game.

Rookie forward Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 first-overall pick by the Sharks put San Jose up 2-1 early in the first period, but New Jersey wouldn't let the Shark's lead linger for too long.

Paul Cotter put some fancy dangling skills on display, benefiting off a Luke Hughes outlet pass at 5:07 of the third period, finishing off the play with a wrist shot, up and over Yaroslav Askarov's glove for the Devils' second tying goal of the game.

New Jersey now travel to Seattle to face the Kraken on Monday night.

Here are some observations from the game:

• Nico Hischier's power-play goal ended a post-holiday break streak. The New Jersey power play had not connected for a goal since before the Christmas break. Hischier's was the first, while the penalty killers in the second period also played a big part of the period.

New Jersey penalty killers also had to kill off two penalties during the middle frame and went a perfect 4-for-4 against the Sharks.

• Former Devil Tyler Toffoli forced goaltender Jacob Markstrom to be ultra sharp in the opening 10 minutes of the game. And Markstrom countered every Toffoli shot with a save. Toffoli created a couple of terrific chances, including nearly finishing off a 2-on-1 and hitting the cross bar on another opportunity.

Not to be outdone, Markstrom came up with this incredible save on Toffoli's second-effort, keeping the game at zeros.

• Scoring in the first period continues to trouble the Devils. Again on Saturday afternoon, New Jersey ended the first 20 minutes of a game without scoring. Since December 1, New Jersey have scored just 10 first-period goals in 18 games.

• Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt may have registered the official assists on Nico Hischier's game-tying goal early in the second period, but it's the play by Stefan Noesen who makes it all possible.

The Devils were on the power play when Sharks William Eklund made a clearing attempt. With not quite enough pace on the puck, Noesen was able to track it down, leaving his position in the high slot and retrieving the puck on the blueline just before it exited the zone in order to keep the play active in the offensive zone.

You can check out the play here:

• Jack Hughes is one assist away from 200 in his NHL career.

• Celebrini's goal was his 13th of the season to claim sole possession of the NHL's rookie scoring race. Celebrini entered the afternoon tied with Philadelphia's Matvei Michkov. Celebrini is also now just one point behind Michkov for the rookie points race, with his 28th point of the season.