Askarov makes 34 saves, Sharks defeat Bruins

SAN JOSE -- Yaroslav Askarov made 34 saves to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at SAP Center on Sunday.

"It's way more fun. We started winning more games," Askarov said. "You're going to bed, you're smiling. You wake up, you're still smiling. It's a great feeling."

Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (11-9-3), who finished a four-game homestand with a record of 3-1-0. Celebrini extended his point streak to five games (four goals, four assists), and Shakir Mukhamadullin and Collin Graf also scored.

"We had a pretty true and honest conversation this morning, and the response was one of the best of the year," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said.

Morgan Geekie scored the only goal for the Bruins (13-11-0), who are 1-2-0 through the first three games of a four-game road trip. Geekie's goal marked his 17th of the season, tying Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon for the most in the NHL. Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves.

"They tried everything they possibly could. We just found ourselves down a couple of goals against a hot goalie, too," Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. "[We] probably didn't do a good enough job in front of him. It was just unfortunate to leave points here."

Mukhamadullin gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 15:53 of the first period. Mario Ferraro slid a pass to the right point for Mukhamadullin, whose wrist shot from the right circle deflected off Bruins forward Michael Eyssimont's stick and over Swayman's glove.

Dmitry Orlov faked a slap shot at the point and instead slid a pass to Celebrini at the left wing, whose snap shot on the power play beat Swayman glove side to push the Sharks' lead to 2-0 at 11:45 of the second period.

"We had plenty of chances, and I thought we did a better job, at least gaining momentum, not just going out there and whacking the puck around," Celebrini said. "We strung some chances together, which is nice. It kind of gives your group life. That was just an amazing screen by [Alexander Wennberg]."

Geekie cut the Sharks lead to 2-1 at 10:02 of the third period. David Pastrnak circled the net and fed a cross-crease pass to Geekie, who put a wrist shot past Askarov's right pad.

"That play has worked for us before," Geekie said. "[I] just try to be in the right spot and time it right. Fortunately, it worked out."

Graf added an empty-net goal at 18:53 to ice the game 3-1.

NOTES: Forward Elias Lindholm returned to the Bruins lineup after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy was placed on Injured Reserve in a corresponding move. ... Celebrini recorded his 70th point of 2025 (27 goals, 43 assists in 65 games) and became the fifth teenager in the past 40 years with as many in a calendar year (regular season only), joining Sidney Crosby (118 in 2006), Jimmy Carson (88 in 1987), Connor McDavid (79 in 2016) and Jaromir Jagr (79 in 1991). ... Celebrini passed Patrick Marleau (six) for the most game-winning goals by a teenager in Sharks history.