One of the enduring paradoxes of sport is that even the most impressive victories can carry an undercurrent of loss along the way. 

That was indeed the case for the San Jose Sharks, who stormed back from a four-goal deficit to defeat Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins 6–5 in overtime at PPG Paints Arena. The win marked the largest regular-season comeback in franchise history, though injuries to Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev cast a shadow over the post-game cellies. 

Injuries Bite Sharks

Just 3:30 into the third period, with the Sharks trailing 4–1, Pittsburgh defenseman Parker Wotherspoon drove Smith hard into the boards. Smith went down immediately and headed straight down the tunnel, prompting Macklin Celebrini to rush in and challenge Wotherspoon, earning a penalty in the process. 

With 29 points in 33 games this season, including 12 goals and 17 assists, the 20-year-old Smith has been a key contributor to the Sharks’ offense. After the game, head coach Ryan Warsofsky offered no updates on Smith’s condition. The silver lining, however, is that the injury appeared to galvanize the team, fueling the largest regular-season comeback in franchise history. Still, such extraordinary performances are rarely sustainable, and now the Sharks must confront the possibility that one of their top players could be sidelined for an extended period. 

Then there’s Kurashev, a mainstay in the Sharks’ top six for much of the season and a dependable depth contributor, who has tallied six goals and 15 points in 31 games. He exited in the second period with an upper-body injury after crashing into the boards while chasing the puck. Unlike Smith’s injury, this one was not the result of contact with another player but rather an unfortunate misstep while trying to be first to the puck—a reminder of how easily accidents can occur in this game. 

The Sharks have a scheduled off day on Sunday and will begin a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames. As a result, updates on the injuries are not expected before Monday at the earliest. 

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