Sharks Upset Hurricanes in Raleigh, Celebrini Stars with Three Points

Macklin Celebrini set up San Jose's first two goals and added an empty netter as the Sharks handed the Hurricanes a 4 to 1 loss Sunday night in Raleigh. Celebrini tied Connor McDavid for the NHL lead in assists with 28 and moved to 43 points, sitting six points behind Nathan MacKinnon in the scoring race. The victory was San Jose's first in Raleigh since February 4, 2018.

Collin Graf, John Klingberg and Alexander Wennberg also scored for the Sharks. Alex Nedeljkovic, facing his former team, stopped 29 shots and was especially sharp in the third period with 16 saves. Jordan Staal scored for Carolina, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves in his first loss in five starts this season. The Hurricanes fell to 3 3 0 with one game left on the current homestand.

The game unfolded amid the Hurricanes celebration of the 20th anniversary of their 2006 Stanley Cup team. Many former players and former coach Peter Laviolette were in attendance and will be honored again before the club's home game with Columbus. Celebrini tied up the playmaking numbers with an early setup to Klingberg in the second period and added his empty net goal with 1 minute 20 seconds left.

For Wake County the outcome has both cultural and practical implications. Large arena events contribute to downtown economic activity as fans patronize restaurants, bars and transportation services. They also concentrate hundreds of people indoors during the winter months, which has public health implications for the spread of respiratory illness and for local healthcare resources. Local health officials and hospital systems monitor such events for changes in emergency department demand, and residents who are ill should consider staying home to protect others.

The result also touches on issues of access and equity. High ticket prices and transportation costs can limit who benefits from major sporting events. Community leaders and team organizations in Wake County may consider partnerships to expand affordable access, youth programming and inclusive outreach so that community health and civic pride are shared more broadly.

San Jose travels to Philadelphia for its next game, while Carolina remains in Raleigh to host Columbus.