LAS VEGAS \u2014 Collin Graf avoided the worst-case injury scenario, but it was still an ordeal for him.<\/p>\n
And also for his mother, Terri, who learned on the internet of Graf getting hit in the face with a puck in practice.<\/p>\n
But all\u2019s well that ends well for Graf, who will play Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, sporting a nasty scar and wearing a full bubble mask.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was actually, surprisingly, a lot of blood. But it didn\u2019t really like hurt that bad,\u201d Graf said of the puck that deflected into his face late in practice.<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nGraf went to the hospital for a CT scan and saw a dentist, missing the team flight. But besides needing some stitches, he was all good to go, eventually flying to Las Vegas by himself, getting in late last night.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuckily, nothing was broken,\u201d San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. \u201cSo we move forward. Part of being a hockey player.\u201d<\/p>\n
And part of being a hockey player\u2019s mom.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mom was worried,\u201d Graf smiled. \u201cBut sent her a picture, before the stitches, after the stitches, said I was fine. So she\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bubble won\u2019t be an unfamiliar experience for Graf, who wore a cage when he played for Quinnipiac University.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard a couple Scarface comments,\u201d Graf laughed, about what he heard from his San Jose Sharks teammates. \u201cBesides the bubble, everything\u2019s normal.\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughed: \u201cIt\u2019s just a little bit different in terms of, like, if you have a scratch on your face, you can\u2019t really get it. Or, I completely missed my mouth with the water bottle this morning, but besides that, it\u2019s honestly not that different.\u201d<\/p>\n
San Jose Sharks (17-16-3)<\/p>\n
Yaroslav Askarov will start.<\/p>\n
Ethan Cardwell will come in for Adam Gaudette, and Nick Leddy for Vincent Iorio.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a little nicked up,\u201d Warsofsky said of sitting Gaudette, who scored in the Sharks\u2019 last game, a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. \u201cWe want to just give him these four days here to kind of get healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how lines should look tonight:<\/p>\n
Graf-Celebrini-Chernyshov
Eklund-Wennberg-Toffoli
Skinner-Dellandrea-Cardwell
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Reaves<\/p>\nOrlov-Klingberg
Ferraro-Mukhamadullin
Dickinson-Leddy<\/p>\nAskarov<\/p>\n
Also, here\u2019s how the San Jose Sharks practiced the power play.<\/p>\n
PP1: Klingberg-Celebrini-Eklund-Toffoli-Wennberg
PP2: Orlov-Cardwell-Skinner-Graf-Chernyshov<\/p>\nWarsofsky wanted to try Ethan Cardwell\u2019s speed and pace on the man advantage: \u201cHe\u2019s got enough skill to make some plays on the flank and come downhill and rip a couple pucks, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nWarsofsky has no concern about rookie Chernyshov\u2019s first road game being in an environment like Vegas: \u201cHe’s got a veteran presence to him\u2026Nothing really bothers this kid. He just goes about his business, prepares like he’s been league for 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Vegas Golden Knights (16-8-10)<\/p>\n
\nMitch Marner is 1C again with Eichel still out. Alex Holtz is in; Cole Reinhardt comes out. <\/p>\n
Barbashev\u2014Marner\u2014Stone
Holtz\u2014Hertl\u2014Dorofeyev
Smith\u2014Howden\u2014Bowman
Saad\u2014Sissons\u2014Kolesar<\/p>\nMcNabb\u2014Korczak
Hanifin\u2014Hutton
Lauzon\u2014Whitecloud<\/p>\n\u2014 Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) December 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nCarter Hart is the first goaltender off the ice.<\/p>\n