Celebrini's jaw-dropping goal helps Sharks beat Flames 6-3

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Macklin Celebrini scored a jaw-dropping goal and added an empty-netter and two assists to become the fastest San Jose player to reach 50 points in a season as the Sharks beat the Calgary Flames 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Celebrini assisted on two goals in the first period and then took over the game in the third. First he took a pass from Collin Graf, spun without breaking stride and beat Dustin Wolf for his 17th goal of the season to make it 4-2.

The empty-netter put it away, giving the 19-year-old Celebrini 51 points in San Jose's 34th game of the season. That's three games faster than any other Sharks player reached the 50-point mark, with Erik Karlsson, Joe Thornton and Owen Nolan all doing it in 37 games. The only teenagers to reach 50 points earlier in an NHL season were Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky.

Barclay Goodrow had two goals, John Klingberg also scored for San Jose, and Tyler Toffoli got his 300th career goal.

Yaroslav Askarov made 27 saves for the Sharks, who were coming off back-to-back overtime wins at Toronto and Pittsburgh to end their road trip.

Blake Coleman, Ryan Lomberg and Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames, who had won four of five. Wolf made 20 saves.

The Sharks started fast, scoring twice in the first six minutes with Celebrini setting up Klingberg for his fourth goal in the last three games and Goodrow scoring his first.

The Flames tied it by scoring twice in just over three minutes before Goodrow scored his second of the game in the closing seconds of the period when he knocked a loose puck on the goal line into an open net.

The Sharks preserved the lead by killing two penalties in the second period as Calgary's league-worst power play generated only one shot on goal in four minutes with the man advantage.

Flames: Host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

Sharks: Host the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

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

Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund, left, shoots the puck against San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg, middle, is congratulated by defenseman Dmitry Orlov (9), center Macklin Celebrini (71) and left wing Jeff Skinner after scoring against the Calgary Flames during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Jose Sharks center Barclay Goodrow, middle, is congratulated by right wing Ryan Reaves (75) and center Zack Ostapchuk (63) after scoring against the Calgary Flames during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) reaches for the puck against Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, left, and defenseman Kevin Bahl (7) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — It's been more than half a century since the Knicks hung an NBA championship banner inside Madison Square Garden.

The wait since 1973 to add another one didn't end on Tuesday night, but New York can make room for the NBA Cup banner.

OG Anunoby scored 28 points, Jalen Brunson had 25, and the Knicks rallied to beat Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 124-113.

“This is great and we’re going to enjoy this,” Brunson said. “But once we leave tomorrow, we’re moving on.”

This is a championship roster — NBA Cup MVP Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges cut down the nets in college at Villanova — with high hopes of representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

“This is a single-elimination tournament when you get to a certain point, so every game counts,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “There was pressure on every game if you expect to be who you think you are. When you're able to have success, it breeds confidence in everybody in the organization.”

New York's Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 11 rebounds despite battling a calf injury. He went into the locker room with a minute left before halftime and later exited for the bench with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter and didn't return until late in the fourth.

Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 21 points, Wembanyama scored 18 and De'Aaron Fox had 16.

Wembanyama excused himself early from the postgame news conference because he said “just lost somebody” on Tuesday.

New York dominated inside, outrebounding the Spurs 59-42, with Mitchell Robinson collecting 15 boards, including 10 on the offensive end in 18 minutes. That helped give the Knicks a 56-44 edge in points in the lane.

The Spurs, however, led for much of the game before the Knicks went on a 13-1 run that began late in the third quarter to go up 100-95. New York never trailed again.

“After 25 games in, I believe that we’ve shown some signs that we can be a pretty good team," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve also shown that we have a lot of areas of improvement. I think that’s where we were living today.”

The Knicks got more than a trophy. Each player with a standard contract got an extra $318,560 for winning, making the total $530,933 for even reaching the final.

This game doesn't count in the standings, so both teams remain 18-7, putting them atop their respective divisions.

Just making the final bodes well for both teams. The previous four finalists — Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana, Oklahoma City and Milwaukee — also made the playoffs. The Pacers made the Eastern Conference finals in 2024, and the Thunder won the NBA championship last season.

Knicks: At Indiana on Thursday night.

Spurs: Host Washington on Thursday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first half of the NBA Cup championship basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first half of the NBA Cup championship basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) reacts after a dunk against the New York Knicks during the first half of the NBA Cup championship basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) dunks the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during an NBA Cup championship basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Kirby Lee/Pool Photo via AP)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, left, shoots the ball past San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during an NBA Cup championship basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Kirby Lee/Pool Photo via AP)