Chernyshov's Late Goal Lifts Sharks Over Blue Jackets

San Jose snaps 6-game skid with comeback win in Columbus

Mar. 29, 2026 at 12:09am

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Forward Andrei Chernyshov scored the game-winning goal with 1:25 remaining in the third period to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Macklin Celebrini and Chernyshov each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who snapped a 6-game losing streak. Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 saves in the win.

Why it matters

The Sharks' victory over the Blue Jackets was an important bounce-back win for a San Jose team that had struggled mightily during their recent skid. The late heroics from Chernyshov could provide a much-needed confidence boost as the Sharks look to make a playoff push in the final weeks of the season.

The details

Denton Mateychuk and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets, who took a 2-1 lead in the second period. But the Sharks rallied, with Celebrini tying the game early in the third before Chernyshov netted the winner late. Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury after blocking a shot.

  • Mateychuk scored just 31 seconds into the first period to give Columbus a 1-0 lead.
  • Chernyshov tied the game at 1-1 at the 17:17 mark of the first period.
  • Sillinger put the Blue Jackets up 2-1 at 12:09 of the second period.
  • Celebrini scored a power-play goal 57 seconds into the third period to tie the game 2-2.
  • Chernyshov scored the game-winning goal with 1:25 remaining in the third period.

The players

Andrei Chernyshov

Sharks forward who scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

Macklin Celebrini

Sharks forward who had a goal and an assist in the game.

Will Smith

Sharks forward who had two assists in the game.

Denton Mateychuk

Blue Jackets defenseman who scored the opening goal of the game.

Cole Sillinger

Blue Jackets forward who scored to give Columbus a 2-1 lead.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to dig deep and find a way to get this win. The guys showed a lot of heart to come back like that.”

— Andrei Chernyshov, Sharks Forward

What’s next

The Sharks will look to build on this momentum as they continue their playoff push, with a key divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Kings coming up on Thursday.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory showcases the Sharks' resilience and ability to bounce back from a tough stretch. If they can build on this win, San Jose could find itself back in the playoff picture in the tight Western Conference race.