San Jose Sharks beat Vancouver Canucks behind Will Smith’s two goals

SAN JOSE – Will Smith and Mason Marchment saved the San Jose Sharks from an embarrassing loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

With the Sharks trailing by two before the third period, Smith scored goals 2:39 apart to tie the game, with his second coming with 9:21 left in regulation.

San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith (2) celebrates scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 

Just 11 seconds after Smith’s second goal, Marchment scored his fourth of the season to put the Sharks ahead to stay, as they earned a much-needed 3-2 win over the rebuilding Canucks at SAP Center.

“We’re trying to get the crowd into it, and then I think it just kind of loosened up the guys a little bit,” Smith said of his first goal that began the rally. “Everyone’s kind of gripping their stick a little tight. We just want to go out there and have fun.”

Facing a Vancouver team with a league-low seven points this season, the Sharks looked listless in the first period and failed to execute in the second, going 0-for-4 on the power play through the first 40 minutes.

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky put Smith and Macklin Celebrini back together for the start of the third period after five fruitless periods apart. Smith’s first goal came on the power play off an assist from Dmitry Orlov, but Celebrini assisted on his second.

Yaroslav Askarov finished with 23 saves as the Sharks evened their record to 1-1-0 on a four-game homestand that continues on Saturday afternoon against the Ottawa Senators.

“The message was pretty clear: just go play, loosen up a little bit. I think we were trying to choke out a goal and choke out a win,” Warsofsky said. “We were gripping it really tight. You could see it, you could feel it.”

In the first two periods, the Sharks managed just six shots on net at even strength.

Just 38 seconds after the Sharks’ fourth power play expired, winger Liam Ohgren entered San Jose’s zone with room to spare and snapped a shot past Askarov for a two-goal Canucks lead.

The Sharks were looking to correct a handful of issues after a disheartening 2-0 to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, but trailed the Canucks 1-0 after a disjointed first period.

With the puck in their zone, the Sharks had a couple of opportunities to clear and reset, including one by Orlov who had the puck on his stick and tried a soft pass up to Smith and Michael Misa before it was stolen by Canucks center Elias Pettersson. He fired a shot toward the Sharks’ net, and an open Drew O’Connor picked up the rebound and scored past an outstretched Askarov for a Canucks lead at the 13:21 mark.

The game marked the NHL debut for Sharks center Filip Bystedt, San Jose’s first-round draft choice in 2022. Bystedt created a scoring chance on his first shift as he raced past Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium and put a shot on goalie Leevi Merilainen.

For the game, Bystedt won three of seven faceoffs and was credited with two shots on goal in 10:28 of ice time.

“It did not look like his first NHL game,” Warsofsky said of Bystedt. “The pace was good; he was smart playing without the puck. Great job in the third period, coming back through the middle, and obviously the first chance there on his first shift was impressive.”

San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) and San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith (2) talk on the ice while playing against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith (2) celebrates scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Jacob Trouba (65) hands a puck to his son before a game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Michael Misa (77) skates with the puck against Vancouver Canucks’ Filip Hronek (17) during the third period at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) skates with the puck against Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson (40) and Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson (25) during the first period at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71) kicks a soccer ball before a game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith (2) moves to get the ball while teammates San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini (71), San Jose Sharks’ Sam Dickinson (6), and San Jose Sharks’ Filip Bystedt (18) laugh before a game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) 
San Jose Sharks’ Filip Bystedt (18) skates his NHL rookie lap before a game against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)