National Hockey League
Calgary 3, San Jose 1
When: 10:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 28, 2024
Where: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
Referees: Stephen Hiff, Chris Lee
Linesmen: Trent Knorr, Joe Mahon
Attendance: 17435

Jonathan Huberdau scored twice to lead the visiting Calgary Flames to a 3-1 victory over the struggling San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Goaltender Dustin Wolf -- who hails from Gilroy, Calif., a half-hour drive from San Jose -- made 21 saves in the win, including a handful late in regulation when the hosts made a frantic push for the equalizer.

Calgary has collected points in five consecutive games (3-0-2).

Mikael Backlund also scored and Nazem Kadri collected three assists for Calgary, which completes a quick two-game road trip Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Macklin Celebrini replied for the Sharks, who are winless in seven games (0-6-1). Goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 30 shots in an outstanding performance.

Backlund scored the eventual game-winning goal when he put the Flames ahead for the second time with a power-play tally at 6:50 of the second period. Kadri's shot from the right circle was stopped, but Backlund was on the spot on the other side to bury the long rebound and make it a 2-1 score.

Huberdeau rounded out the scoring with a final-second empty-net goal, which came seconds after Wolf made a scintillating save on Mikael Granlund.

Thanks in huge part due to Askarov's heroics, the clubs were tied 1-1 early in the second period.

Huberdeau opened the scoring at the 4:40 mark when he was parked at the front of the net and deflected MacKenzie Weegar's point shot to net his sixth goal in an eight-game stretch. The Flames outshot the Sharks 16-1 over the final 14:06 of the first period.

Celebrini drew the hosts even with a power-play goal at 3:04 of the second period, converting a rocket of a one-timer from the right faceoff circle for his 12th goal of the season, the most this season among rookies.

The loss was a double disappointment for the Sharks. Carl Grundstrom left the game in the first period after being on the receiving end of a hard, clean check from Calgary's Brayden Pachal.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Calgary   San Jose
Nazem Kadri 3 Points Macklin Celebrini 1
Jonathan Huberdeau 2 Goals Macklin Celebrini 1
Nazem Kadri 3 Assists Tyler Toffoli 1
Mikael Backlund 1 Power Play Goals Macklin Celebrini 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Dustin Wolf .955 Save Percentage Yaroslav Askarov .938
Dustin Wolf 21 Saves Yaroslav Askarov 30
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Calgary 33 3 1-3 1-2 9 26
San Jose 22 1 1-2 2-3 11 29
Upcoming Games
  • San Jose will play their next game at home against Philadelphia. The Sharks have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .259 after a loss.
  • Calgary will play their next game on the road against Vegas. The Flames have a W/L % of .438 after a win and .526 after a loss.