Graf scores twice, Sharks defeat Blackhawks to end 3-game skid

SAN JOSE -- Collin Graf scored twice, and Will Smith had a goal and an assist to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at SAP Center on Thursday.

Graf has scored in consecutive games, and Smith extended his point streak to five (three goals, four assists) for the Sharks (18-40-9), who ended a three-game losing streak. Alexandar Georgiev made 24 saves.

"I didn't love our second period, but I thought we played a mature third period," San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said. "That's the positive, I would say, on top of the win. We saw more maturity in our game in the third period, with the lead."

Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev scored for the Blackhawks (20-37-9), who have lost three straight. Spencer Knight made 21 saves.

"I think a little bit of a slow start in the first period," Chicago coach Anders Sorensen said. "Lots of good after that, but not good enough."

Smith put the Sharks ahead 1-0 at 3:48 of the first period. Macklin Celebrini cut through the center of the ice and dropped a pass back to Smith for a one-timer over Knight's blocker.

"When you're more of a threat to shoot, then obviously [the other team has] gotta respect it more, and then the passing lanes will open up," Smith said.

Graf extended the lead to 2-0 at 10:16 with a one-timer into the top left corner. Alexander Wennberg spun away from a check on the right boards before feeding a backhand pass to Graf in the slot for the goal.

"I'm trying to get more comfortable out there. I think a big thing for me is just going to the net," Graf said. "Once I go there, I'm playing with skilled players, so the puck finds me and just try to whack it in."

Nazar cut the lead to 2-1 just 10 seconds into the second period with a wrist shot through the legs of Mario Ferraro and by the blocker of Georgiev.

"It is definitely nice to feel the confidence and feel that you're moving well," Nazar said. "It is nice that [Sorensen] will recognize that and know when you're moving your feet and making plays and reward you for that."

Graf scored his second on a power play to make it 3-1 at 10:17. Smith fanned on a one-timer, but the puck went to the front of the net, where Graf tapped it past the left pad of Knight.

Mikheyev deflected a pass from Ryan Donato at 13:18 to make it 3-2. Donato sent a backhand pass to the top of the crease, which Mikheyev tipped as he was driving to the net.

Tyler Toffoli added an empty-net goal at 19:27 of the third period with a high flip from center ice for the 4-2 final.

NOTES: By extending his point streak, Smith now has multiple point streaks of five or more games this season (also six games from Jan. 20-30). He became the second rookie in Sharks history to have multiple runs of that length in a single season, joining Logan Couture (two five-game point streaks in 2010-11). ... San Jose became the first team to have rookies account for seven or more consecutive team goals since the 2015-16 Coyotes (seven from Oct. 10-15, 2015). The last team to have a longer streak from their rookies was the 1997-98 Ducks (nine from April 13-19, 1998).