San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini celebrates after scoring in the shoot-out of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
January 06, 2026 - 4:09 PM
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Alex Wennberg had a goal and an assist against his former team, and the San Jose Sharks bounced back from a frustrating loss three days earlier and beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Zack Ostapchuk also had a goal while Macklin Celebrini and Mario Ferraro added empty-netters to help the Sharks win their fourth in five games. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 34 shots for San Jose, which was coming off a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday night.
Wennberg, the Blue Jackets’ first-round pick in 2013, assisted on Pavol Regenda’s goal in the first period then scored on a power play early in the second for his eighth goal of the season. That moved the 31-year-old within two points of reaching 400 for his career.
Celebrini’s goal was his 23rd of the season and extended the 19-year-old’s career-high point streak to 11 games.
Zach Werenski scored his team-leading 16th goal for Columbus, and Sean Monahan also had a goal. Jet Greaves finished with 31 saves.
San Jose broke through moments after Nedeljkovic stopped Charlie Coyle’s wrist shot. Regenda responded quickly and broke free to score his sixth of the season on a cross-ice pass from Wennberg with 49 seconds left.
Wennberg made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 4:14 of the second when he fired the puck between Greaves' legs. It gave Wennberg his seventh multi-point game of the season.
Werenski trimmed San Jose’s lead to 2-1 with his goal late in the second. He has five points in three games since returning from an ankle injury.
Ostapchuk’s second goal of the season made it 3-1 before Monahan pulled the Blue Jackets within one with 3:55 to go.
Ferraro and Celebrini scored into the empty net 45 seconds apart to seal San Jose's win.
Up next
Blue Jackets: At Vegas on Thursday night.
Sharks: At Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
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