The Sharks extended their string of solid performance by dispatching the Seattle Kraken 6-1 at Climate Change Arena on Wednesday night. The Sharks were firing on all cylinders against a team that has been historically a nuisance for San Jose since joining the league 4 years ago. Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith had multi-point nights to lead San Jose, who has now recorded points in their last 4 games.

The Sharks scored 4 goals 5-on-5, a power play goal, a short-handed goal. They killed all 6 penalties they committed and the goaltending came up big when called on. It was one of the more complete games they've played this season.

Celebrini got things going early when he gathered a Tyler Toffoli in the slot that ripped a shot past Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord. Celebrini's shot found the upper left corner of the net. The Sharks phenom may have been motivated by the fact that his 7 game point scoring streak was snapped on Sunday in the Sharks shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.

A manic approach to defense cost the Sharks with 3:30 to play in the opening period. Rookie Ryan Winterton scored his 1st NHL goal on a put-back chance from the slot. Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov made an outstanding save on Winterton's fist chance, but the San Jose defense couldn't clear the zone. A second shot kicked out to the spot between the circles where Winterton was setup for a second chance he wouldn't miss.

Ethan Cardwell helped the Sharks immediately answer, putting a one-timer past Daccord for his 1st of the season. Alexander Wennberg setup the goal with a pretty feed, connecting the dots from the right side after slamming on the brakes in the Kraken zone.

The Sharks had just killed their 2nd penalty of the evening when Celebrini was hauled down by Tye Kartye at 5:18 of the middle period. Jeff Skinner appeared to swat a puck out of the air and past Daccord, but defenseman Josh Mahura swept it clear at it bounced on the goal line.

John Klingberg pumped his 2nd goal of the season past Daccord on a power play after Jani Nyman was called for interference on Ty Dellandrea. The Sharks defenseman unloaded on a shot from the point after Will Smith and Celebrini moved the puck to him.

San Jose held Seattle to 5 shots in goal in the middle period, which has been a far cry from what's been on the table the past few seasons. Defensively, the Sharks are playing with a calmness also absent in past seasons.

Smith made it a 2-point night with his 5th of the season just 62 seconds into the 3rd period. The Sharks forward gathered a Mario Ferraro feed then skated to the top of the right circle where he threw the puck on net. The puck first clipped the stick of Ryan Lindgren, then hit Brandon Montour in the shin pad for the deflection past Daccord.

Tyler Toffoli was sent off for high sticking Chandler Stephenson at 1:46 to setup the 4th power play chance of the night for Seattle. Collin Graf turned the tables on Seattle by intercepting a puck and racing up ice. Graf's shot attempt was turned aside by Daccord, but it pushed behind the net. Graf didn't give up on is and fed it out front to a trailing Dellandrea who deposited it for his 1st goal of the season.

That would be the end of the night for Daccord, but his replacement Matt Murray fared no better. When Toffoli stepped on the ice Shakir Mukhamadullin made a feed to him with a pass that went half the length of the ice. Toffoli gathered it at center ice then raced in on Murray and roofed a shot for his 5th goal of the season.

Askarov would finish teh night with a 28 save performance to earn his 3rd win of the season. It was his 2nd straight start allowing 2 or fewer goals. He has .940 save percentage or better in both games.

Pretty good night all around for the Sharks. After the past three seasons, the optimism is a lot more fun than the alternative. The Sharks still have lots of work to do, but wins like this one are a welcome change.

Game Notes:

* Macklin Celebrini moved into a tie with Connor McDavid for the league lead in scoring at 21 points. Celebrini has also played one fewer game than McDavid.

* Celebrini leads the NHL in road scoring with 14 points through 6 games away from SAP Center. His point production in that span tied Sydney Crosby who is the only other teenager in NHL history with that many points through their first 6 road games.

* San Jose was a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill in the game. The penalty kill has been a major hole in the Sharks game this season, so the effectiveness of that specialty was a big step in the right direction.

* San Jose has now allowed 2 or fewer goals in 4 straight games.

* The power play goal San Jose scored was their first against Seattle since November of 2022.