Thrilling 3rd period lifts Golden Knights over rival Sharks

By Justin Emerson

Published Wednesday, March 17, 2021 | 3 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, March 17, 2021 | 9:40 p.m.

The Golden Knights gave up three straight goals in the second period Wednesday to lose their lead over the Sharks. Then they scored four straight goals in the third to get it back.

Vegas electrified the T-Mobile Arena crowd with goals and fights and everything that makes a rivalry great. Ryan Reaves gave the Golden Knights the lead and Alec Martinez made it stick as Vegas downed the San Jose Sharks 5-4.

Down 3-1, a Vegas power play started it all. It lasted just five seconds, as Cody Glass crashed the net and poked in the second goal of the game. Nicolas Hague was next, winding up and blasting a slapshot into the net to tie the game.

Then came Reaves. He had a goal disallowed in the second period due to goaltender interference, but would not be denied with 7:33 left in the game, redirecting a Tomas Nosek shot from the high slot and into the net. It was his first of the season, and it gave the Golden Knights a 4-3 lead.

Nosek dished out another assist on a power play, feeding Martinez for the Golden Knights' fourth goal of the period and fifth of the night. It held up as the game-winner, even after Evander Kane scored on the power play to bring the Sharks back within a goal at 5-4.

Tempers also spilled over in the third period with both teams' captains dropping the gloves. First it was Mark Stone having a go with Tomas Hertl, then Jonathan Marchessault danced with Logan Couture.

The Sharks took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission, capitalizing on a poor defensive frame from the Golden Knights. Vegas was unable to keep the Sharks away from its own net, and San Jose scored three goals that came from a total of 22 feet out. Matt Nieto, Mario Ferraro and Kevin Labanc all scored for the Sharks.

It erased a first-period lead for Vegas, courtesy of a Shea Theodore slapshot. He finished with three points on the night.

Vegas led in final shots on goal 37-33.

Golden Knights allow 3 goals, fall behind Sharks 

The Golden Knights have controlled the season series with the Sharks, but San Jose bit back in the second period Wednesday.

Vegas allowed three goals in the middle frame, and fell behind 3-1 at the second intermission at T-Mobile Arena.

The Sharks had a strong start to the second period and were rewarded early. They had been buzzing in the Vegas end, and after the Golden Knights failed to clear the puck, Timo Meier centered it to a waiting Matt Nieto, whose redirect tied the game 1-1 at the 6:21 mark.

San Jose continued to live in front of the Vegas crease, and capitalized on another opportunity not long after the first goal. John Leonard started by ripping the puck off the iron, which pulled Marc-Andre Fleury across the crease to the right post. It exposed the left side, allowing Mario Ferraro to complete a wrap-around and give San Jose a 2-1 advantage.

That marked the first time in five games this season the Golden Knights trailed the Sharks.

The Golden Knights initially got the goal back almost right away, but after a quick review the goal came off the board. Ryan Reaves was credited on the ice with his first of the season, but officials ruled it was made possible by William Carrier's goaltender interference.

Instead, the Sharks kept to their formula and added another before the period ended. Zach Whitecloud and Nicolas Hague were trapped on the ice for a long shift that lasted 1:37, and the Sharks crept closer and closer to the blue paint until Kevin Labanc put home a rebound to make it 3-1.

San Jose led in shots on goal 27-21.

Physical 1st period ends with Golden Knights on top

The story of the first period was how physical it was.

The Golden Knights and Sharks ended the opening 20 minutes with Vegas up 1-0 at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, but it remains to be seen if the rest of the game will play out like the first.

We'll start with the goal.

Shea Theodore doesn't wind up for slap shots often but when he does they can be deadly. He kept a Sharks clearing attempt in the zone and after sending it back in deep, Max Pacioretty returned it to Theodore, who blasted a one-timer by Devan Dubnyk 3:45 into the period for a 1-0 Vegas lead.

The period also set the stage for what could be a spicy game. It was a physical 20 minutes, with Radim Simek's big hit on Ryan Reaves catching the attention of the Vegas bench. It will be something to watch the rest of the game.

Perhaps the added physicality was part of the reason for the penalties, with officials looking to simmer tensions before the ignite. The teams combined for four penalties in the period (though one was a delay of game), with the Golden going for 0-for-2 on the power play and the Sharks going 0-for-1. Vegas will have 45 seconds of carry-over power-play time.

San Jose led in shots on goal 11-10 in the first period.

Lehner nears return as Golden Knights take on Sharks

Robin Lehner is dressed for tonight's game and will back up starter Marc-Andre Fleury. It is the first time Lehner is healthy to play since Feb. 7 before suffering a concussion.

Pre-game

It was a welcome sight to see goalie Robin Lehner return to Golden Knights practice on Monday, and even more so to see him activated form long-term injured reserve on Tuesday.

Lehner revealed today it was a concussion that kept him out of action for more than a month and said he is ready to return to action. He could dress as soon as tonight, when the Golden Knights take on the San Jose Sharks at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

"I feel pretty good on the ice, but we'll see what the best time is and what they decide," Lehner said. "I feel ready, but whenever the team needs me to play, I'll do my best and try to get back to where I need to be to help the team win."

Lehner last played on Feb. 5, a 5-2 home win against the Kings. He was scheduled to start on Feb. 9 and arrived at the arena to play, but he was a late scratch and has not been seen with the Golden Knights until Monday. He was assigned to AHL Henderson on a conditioning loan last week, a sign that his return was imminent. He did not play for the Silver Knights.

Amid whispers that he was not truly hurt, Lehner said he felt it was important to set the record straight and say his injury was a concussion.

Coach Pete DeBoer called Lehner a game-time decision if he dresses tonight as the starter or backup. Marc-Andre Fleury was the first goalie off the ice, a good indicator he will start. In Lehner's absence, Fleury has started 16 of Vegas' 17 games and won 11 of them with a .934 save percentage.

Whether he plays tonight or not, Lehner's return offers a respite for Fleury and a return to the goalie tandem Vegas envisioned when the season began.

"To have two guys with their pedigree holding down the back end like that is huge," forward Keegan Kolesar said. "I thought the guys that did come in, whether it be Logan Thompson or Oscar Dansk, did a great job, but to have guys with their pedigree and their status in this league and what they've done, it's reassuring for sure."

Lehner started five games before his injury, going 3-1-1 with a 2.96 goals-against average and .890 save percentage.

Lehner isn't the only injury question mark. Chandler Stephenson, who missed Monday's game, and Alex Tuch were not at practice and listed as game-time decisions. If they cannot go, Cody Glass is expected to play again in Stephenson's spot on the top line, and Tomas Jurco could make his team debut in Tuch's place.

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Betting line: Golden Knights minus-230, Sharks plus-200; over/under: 6 (minus-115, minus-105)

Golden Knights (19-6-1, 39 points; 1st place, West Division)

Coach: Peter DeBoer (second season)

Points leader: Mark Stone (33)

Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (14)

Assists leader: Mark Stone (23)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (1.77 GAA, .936 save percentage)

Sharks (11-12-3, 25 points; 7th place, West Division)

Coach: Bob Boughner (second season)

Points leaders: Evander Kane (23)

Goals leader: Logan Couture (13)

Assists leaders: Evander Kane, Timo Meier (12)

Expected goalie: Devan Dubnyk (2.95 GAA, .908 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Max Pacioretty—Cody Glass—Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Tomas Jurco—Nicolas Roy—Keegan Kolesar

William Carrier—Tomas Nosek—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Alec Martinez—Shea Theodore

Brayden McNabb—Dylan Coghlan

Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner