According to the websites that crunch NHL numbers, the San Jose Sharks currently have a sub-20 percent chance of making the playoffs. Which is really good news for the Minnesota Wild, as they more than likely won’t have to see those teal helmets again this season.

The Sharks had Minnesota’s number in their three meetings this season, winning a pair of overtime games in St. Paul and closing out 2025 by matching that feat at home, beating the Wild 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday afternoon at SAP Center.

Minnesota finishes its season series with San Jose with a 0-0-3 mark.

Vladimir Tarasenko’s first period goal gave Minnesota a lead, which slipped away only to have the visitors force a third period tie. Jesper Wallstedt had 25 saves in the loss, allowing goals by Macklin Celebrini and William Eklund in the shootout.

Marcus Foligno finally got his first goal of the season in the third period for the Wild, who trailed 3-1, only to pull back to level with a Mats Zuccarello goal later.

Celebrini, still just a 19-year-old, continued to cause trouble for the Wild with a goal and an assist. That gives the former Hobey Baker Award winner 15 points in six career games versus Minnesota.

In the first period, Minnesota’s power play continued its recent dry spell, managing just one shot on the game’s initial man advantage. But Ryan Hartman’s poke pass out of the defensive zone kicked off a 2-on-1 rush which Tarasenko finished off, slipping a shot past San Jose goalie Yaroslav Askarov.

It was the eighth goal of the season for Tarasenko.

Leading 1-0 after a period, the Wild could take some defensive pride in holding Celebrini without a shot in the first. But the former top overall draft pick made his presence felt just 74 seconds into the middle frame, setting up rookie Igor Chernyshov for the tying goal. For Celebrini, it was his 40th assist of the season, which is currently second in the NHL.

The Sharks got their first power play of the game later in the second, and scored with four seconds left in the man advantage on a long-range shot that Wallstedt could not see due to strategic traffic in front of the Minnesota net.

The Wild just missed a chance to tie things back up late in the second when Marcus Johansson came in alone on the San Jose net but elected to pass instead of shoot.

After Celebrini made it 3-1 for the home team, Foligno slipped rising shot past Askarov, and Zuccarello forged a tie before the third period’s midway point.

Askarov finished with 20 saves for the Sharks, including thwarting Quinn Hughes on an overtime breakaway. He stopped Zucarello and Matt Boldy in the shootout.

The Wild will begin 2026 with a three-game Southern California stretch in the midst of their two-week road trip, facing the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, then playing two versus the Los Angeles Kings.

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