Morning Skate Report: March 1, 2022

The Vegas Golden Knights (29-20-4) dive into the month of March with a contest against the San Jose Sharks (24-23-6) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

NOTES
Tuesday's game is the first of 16 games the Golden Knights will play during the month of March. It's the team's busiest month of the season.
Head Coach Pete DeBoer is seeking his 500th win in the NHL. He has 499 wins heading into Tuesday's game.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: FOX Sports 98.9/1340 | Deports Vegas 1460
FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT
The Vegas Golden Knights announced today, February 28, plans for the team's First Responders Night on March 1 against the San Jose Sharks to show their appreciation for the men and women of Las Vegas and across the country who serve as law enforcement officers, corrections officers, public safety, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and all first responders. Puck drop between the Golden Knights and Sharks is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena, and the game is presented by Foley Family Wines.
During warmups, the Golden Knights will honor first responders by wearing specialty jerseys that will be signed and available for purchase through an online auction. Locker nameplates will be bundled with the jerseys. Warmup pucks will also be for sale after the game begins, with a limited number available for sale in arena outside Section 11. Fans can visit
Responder.givesmart.com
or text "Responder" to 76278. The auction will begin at 5:45 p.m. PT and conclude at the 10:00 minute mark of the third period.
As part of the recognition, the organization will be donating game tickets to members of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County Fire Department. Select first responders, including members of the North Las Vegas Police Department SWAT team, will be featured during the team's various in-game activations at T-Mobile Arena. A limited run of merchandise for First Responders Night is available at The Arsenal at City National Arena.
LAST TIME OUT
Vegas dropped a 3-2 decision to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. Chandler Stephenson and Jonathan Marchessault scored in the first period, but a strong final frame from the Avalanche gave the visitors the win.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
San Jose enters Sunday's matchup sitting seventh in the Pacific Division with 49 points and a 22-21-5 record. The Sharks are winless in their last five outings and are 0-1-2 in February. In their last game, the Sharks were defeated by the Vancouver Canucks, 5-4, in overtime on Thursday night. Though San Jose sits low in the league-wide standings, the team ranks fourth in the NHL on the penalty kill with an 84.6 percent efficiency.
Timo Meier was the lone Shark at NHL All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas earlier this month and leads the team in scoring with 53 points (24G, 29A) in 48 appearances. Tomas Hertl has played in all 53 games for San Jose this season and has 40 points (22G, 18A). Brent Burns is the top-scoring defenseman for the Sharks with 37 points (5G, 32A).
SEASON SERIES
Vegas picked up a 4-1 win against San Jose on Feb. 20 in the only meeting between the teams so far this season. Jack Eichel notched a pair of points including his first goal as a Golden Knight while Logan Thompson made 35 saves for his first NHL victory. Max Pacioretty, Keegan Kolesar and Chandler Stephenson also scored for the Golden Knights as they extended their win streak against the Sharks to 10 games.
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Chandler Stephenson - 41 points (14G, 27A)
Jonathan Marchessault - 36 points (21G, 15A)
Shea Theodore - 35 points (8G, 27A)
Reilly Smith - 34 points (14G, 20A)
Mark Stone - 28 points (8G, 20A)
Alex Pietrangelo - 28 points (7G, 21A)
Max Pacioretty - 27 points (15G, 12A)
Nicolas Roy - 23 points (8G, 15A)
PACIFIC DIVISION PICTURE
Calgary Flames - 31-14-6, 68 points
Los Angeles Kings - 29-17-7, 65 points
Vegas Golden Knights - 29-20-4, 62 points
Edmonton Oilers - 29-21-3, 61 points
Anaheim Ducks - 25-21-9, 59 points
Vancouver Canucks - 26-23-6, 58 points
San Jose Sharks - 24-23-6, 54 points
Seattle Kraken - 16-34-5, 37 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD…
- Mark the 203rd win in franchise history
- Give Pete DeBoer 500 wins as an NHL head coach
- Extend the Golden Knights' win streak against San Jose to 11 games
KEYS TO THE GAME
Keep Swimming:Vegas has racked up 10 consecutive wins against the San Jose Sharks dating back to the 2019-20 season. The Golden Knights need to get back in the win column and they'll try to add to their success against San Jose to get back on track.
Home Ice Advantage: The Golden Knights are winless in their last three outings on home ice. Vegas will want to kick off a busy month with a big win at T-Mobile Arena.