San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini (71) raises his stick to celebrate scoring a first period goal against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Centre in Vancouver on Tue Jan 27, 2026 (Canadian Press via AP)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on Tuesday. Macklin Celebrini, Adam Gaudette, Tyler Toffoli, Will Smith and John Klingberg scored for the Sharks. Smith and Celebrini each came away with three points. Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves for the win. Tom Willander and Filip Hronek scored for the Canucks. Nikita Tolopilo relieved Kevin Lankinen early in the first and made 25 saves on 27 shots in the loss.

After the game, Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said: “It was a big win, we came out, I thought we had some good energy in the first. I know they got that first goal in the four-on-four but I thought we played a pretty good, solid first period. And we kept it going.”

Tom Willander scored the first goal of the game at 1:15, playing four-on-four. Willander took his shot from high in the slot and through traffic. Assists went to Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk.

Less than 30 seconds later, Macklin Celebrini tied it with a slap shot. Assists went to Will Smith and Sam Dickinson. That was the first of three goals in just over four minutes of play.

Adam Gaudette gave the Sharks the lead at 4:43 with a snap shot from the slot. He skated in with William Eklund, who passed h8m the puck at the last moment for the shot. An assist also went to Celebrini.

Tyler Toffoli made it 3-1 at 5:55. Alexander Wennberg passed it up from the goal line to Toffoli for the shot. An assist also went to Sam Dicksinson. The Canucks sent Tolopilo in to relieve Lankinen after that goal.

At the end of the first period, the shots were 15-8 San Jose. Each team had one power play.

The only goal in the second period was a power play goal from Will Smith at 9:07. Smith’s snap shot followed a cross-ice pass from John Klingberg. Celebrini also got an assist.

The shots were close in the second, 12-11 Sharks. The Sharks took three penalties, the Canucks four. Each team also had five-on-three power plays.

In the third period, the Sharks scored their fifth goal just 28 seconds in, at the end of the carry-over power play from the second period. John Klingberg scored it with a wrist shot off a Will Smith pass. Celebrini had the other assist.

The Canucks got one back at 9:15 on the power play. Filip Hronek scored with a slap shot from high in the slot off a pass from Pettersson. The secondary assist went to DeBrusk.

The Sharks next play on Thursday in Edmonton against the Oilers at 6:00 PM PT.