Macklin Celebrini Makes Olympic History with First NHL Penalty Shot Goal
Macklin Celebrini etched his name into the annals of Olympic history on Sunday at Santagiulia Arena. The 19-year-old center for the San Jose Sharks achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first NHL player ever to score on a penalty shot at the Winter Games. Celebrini executed this historic feat at 17:16 of the second period, skillfully beating French goaltender Julian Junca.
The Historic Moment Unfolds
Celebrini was awarded the penalty shot after being hooked by Florian Chakiachvili during a breakaway. Displaying remarkable composure on the grandest stage, the teenager took his time before executing a forehand-backhand move and lifting a soft shot over Junca's blocker. This goal extended Canada's lead to 5-1, punctuating their overwhelming dominance in the game.
The historic marker was part of an impressive three-point performance for Celebrini, who also contributed another goal and an assist. Throughout the preliminary round, he tallied four goals in three games, emphatically announcing his arrival on the international hockey scene.
Canada's Commanding Victory Over France
Team Canada delivered a masterclass performance, overwhelming France with a final score of 10-1 in their concluding group game. Despite France briefly tying the game 1-1 just 13 seconds after Tom Wilson's opening goal, Canada quickly regained control.
Devon Toews restored the lead at 9:33 of the first period, and Mark Stone added a shorthanded goal with a mere 3.4 seconds remaining in the frame, giving Canada a 3-1 advantage heading into the first intermission.
The second period saw further Canadian dominance. Cale Makar extended the lead with a power-play goal at 12:10, followed by Celebrini's historic penalty shot. Sidney Crosby then struck just 19 seconds later, making it 6-1 through two periods.
Third Period Onslaught and Additional Records
Canada continued their offensive barrage in the third period, with Connor McDavid, Bo Horvat, Brandon Hagel, and Celebrini all finding the back of the net. McDavid and Stone each finished with a goal and two assists, while Crosby and Makar both recorded a goal and an assist.
This dominant victory allowed Sidney Crosby to achieve his own piece of history. The Canadian captain recorded three points, surpassing Jarome Iginla to become Canada's all-time leading scorer at the Olympics featuring NHL players, with 16 career points.
Post-Game Reactions and Tournament Implications
Connor McDavid praised his young teammate after the game, describing Celebrini as "special" and highlighting his exceptional comfort level at just 19 years old. Goaltender Jordan Binnington made 12 saves as Canada completed the preliminary round with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record.
The commanding victory secured Canada a bye directly into the quarterfinals. Their impressive goal differential also earned them the top seed heading into the medal round, which commences on Wednesday with the quarterfinal matchups.
