The San Jose Sharks will look to move to 3-0-0 on Monday when they visit the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center at 8 p.m. ET in the second game of a four-game NHL Monday schedule.
San Jose has opened the season with back-to-back wins, and Macklin Celebrini has been central to that start. The Sharks forward already has five assists through the first two games, giving the team early offensive momentum in a way that stands out for a franchise that joined the NHL in 1991-92.
Celebrini's start also puts him in familiar company. Vincent Damphousse had five assists after the first two games for San Jose in 1999-00, and Joe Thornton matched that mark in 2012-13. For the Sharks, that is a strong early sign that their top young playmaker is driving results right away.
What the Stars need to clean up
Dallas enters at 0-2-0 and has scored only one goal through two games. That is a slow opening for a team that averaged 3.33 goals per game last season, a figure that ranked ninth in the NHL. The contrast is a big part of why this matchup feels like an early measuring stick for both teams.
The Stars have not lost their talent overnight, but the early numbers show how quickly an offense can fall off when chances are not going in. At home, Dallas will be looking for a cleaner start and more finish around the net.
For San Jose, the task is straightforward: keep the pace, keep Celebrini involved and see whether the first 2-0-0 start can become 3-0-0. For Dallas, it is about stopping a difficult early trend before it grows any bigger.
