Trailing 4-2 in the third period, the Vegas Golden Knights pulled off a come-from-behind victory to win their fourth game of the preseason in a 5-4 shootout decision against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at the SAP Center.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
Vegas struck gold in the first minute of the game as Paul Stastny and Erik Haula combined to set up Max Pacioretty for the goal. Only 30 seconds later, San Jose's Brent Burns answered on a wrist shot from the low slot. With 5:45 left in the frame, Timo Meier stormed down the right wing and wired a wrist shot past Max Lagace to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead.
Golden Knights Storm Back To Top Sharks In Shootout
Barclay Goodrow's penalty shot goal at 6:33 of the second period put the Sharks up by a pair, but Oscar Lindberg snapped home his first goal of the preseason to cut the lead to 3-2. Logan Couture busted into the Golden Knights zone in the final minute of the period to slip home a shorthanded goal and put San Jose ahead 4-2. Lindberg scored again for Vegas as he tipped in a point shot from Jake Bischoff early in the third before Pierre-Edouard Bellemare's game-tying shorthanded goal with 3:22 to play.
After a scoreless overtime, the Sharks and Golden Knights went to the shootout. Logan Couture and Alex Tuch exchanged goals in the second round but saves from Lagace and Jones in the third round pushed the shootout into extra innings. In the back end of the sixth round, Erik Brannstrom deked around Martin Jones and tucked the puck in to lift Vegas to a 5-4 shootout victory.
TURNING POINT
After Paul Stastny went off for slashing at 16:10 of the third period, it looked like the Sharks were going to add to their 4-3 lead and put the game away. But a long clear that bounced in front of Martin Jones was jabbed on goal by Ryan Carpenter. He didn't score, but the Sharks were put on their heels. The Golden Knights charged into the zone once again and Carpenter slid the puck to Bellemare at the left post. With a defender all over him, Bellemare redirected the puck behind Jones for the game-tying goal.
TOP PERFORMERS
Oscar Lindberg: Lindberg took two shots in the game and they both got behind Jones to help the Golden Knights to the win.
Erik Brannstrom: Brannstrom's shot fake during the shootout got Jones to bite and, with an opening on the left side, he slid the puck around the outstretched pad to seal the win for the Golden Knights.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare:His game-tying goal on the penalty brought new life to the Golden Knights which carried them to the shootout victory.
Tomas Hertl: Hertl led the Sharks in scoring with three assists during the contest and clicked at 73 percent in the faceoff circle.
FROM THE ROOMErik Brannstrom
On his shootout-winning goal...
I figured out the move on the bench there and just went out and did it. I was happy to see it go in, it was really fun.
On the feeling of scoring the winner in the shootout...
It was my first shootout ever, so it was fun to see it go in. I was planning that move and I just went out and did it.
Max Pacioretty
On his goal at 43 seconds of the first period...
It was just a great play by my linemates. We were a little bit hemmed in our zone and, nine times out of 10, you would think that Stastny would dump that puck in on the far wall after we had a little bit of a rough start, however he makes a great play to Haula, Haula had the speed to dive through. He didn't just fire it over to me, he froze the goalie, slid it over nicely and gave me an opportunity to score.
On the full team effort to pull off a comeback win...
I know it's only preseason, but this team is competitive like I've never seen in my life. Guys really wanted to win that game. That's a good atmosphere to be around.
