Sharks Beat Capitals 3-2 With 3 Goals in 2:46

San Jose Sharks right wing Colling Graf (51) celebrates his goal with teammates left wing Pavol Regenda (84) and others in the second period at the Capital One Center in Washington DC on Thu Jan 15, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Thursday. Zack Ostapchuk, Collin Graf and Pavol Regenda scored for the Sharks. Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves for the win. Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals. Logan Thompson made 23 saves in the loss.

After the game, Sharks defenseman Dmitry Orlov referred to San Jose’s 7-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, saying:

“Much better game than the last game against Vegas. We managed the puck the right way. I would say in the third we kind of gave up a little bit, some pucks around the defensive zone, kind of some soft plays. So there’s always room to learn, to get better. But it’s a tough road trip and it’s good to get the first win today.”

The first period was scoreless, with the Sharks outshooting the Capitals 11-5 and a single penalty called against the Capitals.

Dylan Strome scored the first goal of the game on a power play at 10:58. Alexander Ovechkin passed the puck off the boards behind the net to Strome, who was right at the post to score with a backhand. An assist also went to Jakob Chychrun.

Zack Ostaphchuk tied the game at 13:27 with a snap shot. Dmitry Orlov crried the puck out of the Sharks zone and through the neutral zone, passed it to William Eklund and then chased it down beh8nd the net. He centered it just as Ostspchuk arrived for the shot.

Collin Graf gave the Sharks a lead at 14:53, tipping Pavol Regenda’s shot from the left boards.

Regenda scored the Sharks’ third goal at 16:13. Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf won the puck battle behind the net and Celebrini passed it up to Regenda for the shot.

The Sharks outshot the Capitals 12-4 in the second period, despite taking two penalties and only having one power play.

Ryan Leonard made it a one-goal game with a snap shot high in the slot at 9:11 of the third period. Assists went to John Carlson and Martin Fehérváry.

The Capitals outshot the Sharks 14-3 in the third period, and took the only penalty.

The Sharks next play on Friday at 4:00 PM PT in Detroit against the Red Wings.

Sharks Win 4-1 in Vegas, Cardwell Hat Trick, Regenda with 4 Assists

San Jose Sharks F Pavol Regenda (84) and San Jose Sharks F Egor Afanasyev (11) celebrate after a goal scored against the Vegas Golden Knights during an NHL preseason game on Friday October 3, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo by RJ Forbus – The Sporting Tribune

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 in Friday’s preseason matchup at T Mobile Center in Las Vegas. Ethan Cardwell (hat trick) and Egor Afanasyev scored for San Jose. Pavol Regenda assisted on all four Sharks goals. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves for the win. Alexander Holtz scored for Vegas. Adin Hill made 16 saves in the loss.

The only goal of the first period went to the Sharks, scored by Ethan Cardwell at 1:18, a wrist shot off the rush. A neutral zone pass by Pavol Regenda sent Cardwell on his way.

The shot count in the first was 8-6 Vegas. There was a fight midway through the period between Jeremy Lauzon and Zack Ostapchuk. Vegas took one penalty (GT interference by Tomas Hertl) and San Jose took two penalties (cross-checking by Carl Grundstrom and tripping by Shane Bowers).

Egor Afanasyev made it 2-0 at 16:21 of the second period. On the power play, Afanasyev scored with a snap shot off a cross-ice pass from Regenda. Cardwell picked up an assist as well.

In the second period, the shots were x-x. The Sharks took a penalty to Will Smith for hooking Shea Theodore. Brett Howden and Jeremy Lauzon took penalties for Vegas, goaltender interference and interference respectively. At the end of the period, the Sharks’ Vincent Desharnais was called for roughing against Lauzon, putting the Golden Knights on the power play to start the third period.

Ethan Cardwell scored his second of the game at 6:48 of the third period. Regenda carried the puck through the neutral zone, then passed it to himself off the end boards before passing it back to Cardwell for the shot. An assist also went to Ostapchuk.

Alexander Holtz broke the shutout with a goal at 7:11 of the third. Holtz scored with a snap shot from the blue line. Assists went to Kaedan Korczak and Brandon Saad.

Ethan Cardwell completed his hat trick after Vegas pulled their goaltender. His third goal, like his first two, were set up by Pavol Regenda.

The Sharks play their final preseason game on Saturday, in Salt Lake City against the Utah Mammoth at 5:00 PM PT.