SAN JOSE — 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 San Jose’s second win over the Rangers this season — this one a 3-1 victory on Friday night.
“He’s been one of the best in the league,” Mika Zibanejad said of Celebrini. “He’s not only showed that against us, he’s shown that against I feel like every team they’ve played. You look at what he’s been able to do, it’s obviously impressive. Unbelievable player, and at such a young age to be able to have the impact, that’s impressive. Kudos to him. Obviously, him playing well again didn’t help us.”
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 record 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.
“He’s a special player,” Sullivan said.
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.
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.
Early on against a discombobulated Rangers PK, however, San Jose found the back of the net on back-to-back power plays before finishing 2-for-7 on the night.
“There’s no hiding the fact that the start kills us, really,” Zibanejad said. “Even though we get that 3-1 goal and we’re trying to climb back. It’s just a constant try to come back and try to chase. We’re wasting a lot of energy on playing like that too.”
A defensive-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.
