Rangers lose on road to Macklin Celebrini-led Sharks
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Macklin Celebrini has shown the Rangers what an impactful top-overall pick can do for an organization.
The Sharks are coming into their own behind a rising young core that is headlined by the budding superstar, who was at the crux of a third win Sharks — this time 3-1 — over the Blueshirts on Friday night.
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Celebrini toyed with the Rangers in this second meeting just as much as the first.
After posting a hat trick and assisting on the overtime winner in a 6-5 win at MSG earlier this season, the 19-year-old scored twice on Friday to send the Rangers home with a 1-3 on this road trip.
With his first goal of the night, Celebrini became the second-youngest active player to reach 50 career goals. The player he is behind? None other than Sidney Crosby, who Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said Celebrini reminded him of after coaching the Penguins star for 10 years in Pittsburgh.
Celebrini scored two of the Sharks three first-period goals in the first 7:37, which marked the fastest for the team from the start of a game since Dec. 21, 2011.
The last time San Jose collected that many goals in that short amount of time? Celebrini was 5.
The Rangers continue to have a serious problem with being ready at puck drop.
Not only did the visitors take two penalties and give up two power-play goals just over three minutes into the game, but they did so before recording a single shot of their own. Mika Zibanejad was called for tripping less than 30 seconds into the game, putting the Rangers at a disadvantage almost immediately.
Sullivan was forced to burn his timeout at the 3:08 mark of the first.
The Sharks were 0-for-13 with the man advantage in their previous five games. Against a discombobulated Rangers PK, however, San Jose found the back of the net on back-to-back power plays against the Rangers before finishing 2-for-7 on the night.
A D-zone turnover from Carson Soucy later forfeited possession. It led to a Celebrini one-timer that made it a 3-0 game well before the halfway mark of the opening frame.
Fans sang an “MVP” chant for their star skater, who was honored as a Canadian Olympian before puck drop.
The Rangers have given opposing fans a lot to cheer for lately.
Boston wanted 10 for the sake of 10. The TD Garden fans got it.
Anaheim wanted five for a free Chick-Fil-A sandwich. Honda Center fans got it.
San Jose got three free Taco Bell tacos with a purchase after three goals. It was the fastest tacos ever secured at SAP Center.
The Rangers only could ensure they weren’t shutout for a ninth time this season. Sam Carrick provided an answer to the Sharks’ three quick goals, when he bodied Celebrini out of the way and buried his third goal of the season on San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.
Meanwhile, the Rangers’ 2020 No. 1 overall pick, Alexis Lafrenière, was limited to just one shot on goal in his 34th game this season without a single point.
Veterans J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin were held to a combined seven shots on goal.
Becoming younger and faster are at the crux of the Rangers’ retooling plans, and Friday night was just the latest example for why.
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