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Wennberg has goal and assist against former team as Sharks beat Blue Jackets 5-2

Wennberg has goal and assist against former team as Sharks beat Blue Jackets 5-2 | iNFOnews.ca
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)

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.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Wennberg has goal and assist against former team as Sharks beat Blue Jackets 5-2 | iNFOnews.ca
San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky, middle back, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Thien-An Truong)
Wennberg has goal and assist against former team as Sharks beat Blue Jackets 5-2 | iNFOnews.ca
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (73) guards his net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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The Associated Press

Michael Wagaman

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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