MONTREAL — It was the Macklin Celebrini game. Another the Macklin Celebrini game, that is.

But just as important for the San Jose Sharks, potentially, is Michael Misa breaking out of his early-season funk.

Celebrini dominated, as we’ve come to expect, scoring two goals, including the OT winner, and setting up Tyler Toffoli for the game-tying strike, in the Sharks’ 4-3 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Sharks tools

Misa added the other goal, his first of the season, and per Stathletes, contributed in other promising ways. The Sharks will need the 19-year-old center to step up, especially with fellow pivot Alex Wennberg out with a day-to-day upper-body injury.

Misa led the San Jose Sharks with three 5-on-5 Rush Shots, tied with Collin Graf. He also paced San Jose with five 5-on-5 Closer Carries in the Offensive Zone, ahead of five Sharks, including Celebrini and Will Smith, tied with three.  

These are stats that suggest a more confident Misa with the puck.

A Closer Carry, according to Stathletes, is a “successful carry where the puck is carried closer to the net than the original possession gain”.

Before Tuesday’s game, Misa was in the bottom third among San Jose Sharks forwards in this category.

Just to demonstrate this micro-stat’s importance? Last year’s Per 60 leading forwards in Closer Carry OZ were Connor McDavid, Clayton Keller, Jack Hughes, Leon Draisaitl, and Matthew Boldy. On the Sharks, naturally, Celebrini ruled the roost.

This is the company that you want the 2025 No. 2 pick to keep.

As for Rush Shots, it’s just good to see Misa shoot. Going into Tuesday, he had only one game with multiple shots this season, four on opening night against the Florida Panthers. That eight consecutive contests with zero or one shot before Tuesday’s three, which frankly, doesn’t cut it for an offense-first center. This isn’t just a consequence of Misa’s relatively-limited ice-time: Before Tuesday, Misa was averaging 2.93 5-on-5 Shots Per 60, dead-last among Sharks forwards, even behind noted pass-first center Wennberg’s 3.53.

(I know, as of now, that Wennberg has similar stats to Misa, but Wennberg has lots of defensive value that Misa hasn’t come close to approaching.) 

Shots off the rush are an indication that Misa is playing his game, which at this point in his budding career, at its best, is speed speed speed.

For what it’s worth, last year’s Rush Shots Per 60 leaders are also good crowd for Misa to be in, Dylan Guenther, Alex DeBrincat, Viktor Arvidsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Owen Tippett. And again, Celebrini led the Sharks.

Going into this game, Misa was in the bottom half of San Jose forwards in this category.

It’s just one productive game for Misa. His game is far from complete. And of course, big picture, he’s just 19.

But the San Jose Sharks were starting to play their best 5-on-5 hockey of the year before Wennberg’s injury, behind the Igor Chernyshov-Celebrini-Smith, Mason Marchment-Wennberg-Tyler Toffoli, and Barclay Goodrow-Zack Ostapchuk-Collin Graf lines.

No, I didn’t forget Ivar Stenberg-Misa-Kiefer Sherwood.

The Expected Goals stat — none of these stats — are be-all, end-all.

But per Evolving Hockey, the disparity in xGF % for these lines versus Misa’s was staggering.

Celebrini’s line has been 63.8 xGF%, Wennberg 70.6, Ostapchuk 56.1… and Misa 29.0.

Now I stress, in no way shape or form, is this all on Misa.

As good as rookie Stenberg has been on the power play, he’s still a work in progress at 5-on-5. And it’s tough to ask heart-and-soul winger Sherwood to carry play with two teenage forwards.

“Mis is trying,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “The game is is a quick game, and he’s getting put in some tough spots.”

But fact of the matter is, the San Jose Sharks probably aren’t making the playoffs if they’re a one-line (or one player) team. Tried that last year, didn’t work. Celebrini needs help.

Last night, Misa provided it, setting the stage for Celebrini’s heroics.