Golden Knights score 7, shut out Sharks in Game 1

LAS VEGAS --Seven players scored and Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves for the Vegas Golden Knights in their fifth straight Stanley Cup Playoff win, a 7-0 victory against the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday.
The Golden Knights are the only undefeated team (5-0) remaining in the playoffs; the Sharks swept the Anaheim Ducks in the first round. The Golden Knights are also the first NHL team to win its first five postseason games.

Cody Eakin, Erik Haula, Jonathan Marchessault, Alex Tuch, Shea Theodore, Colin Miller and James Neal scored for the Golden Knights, who swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and played their first game since April 17. William Karlsson, Reilly Smith and Marchessault each had three points.
WATCH: [All Sharks vs. Golden Knights Game 1 highlights | Complete series coverage]
"We did a great job to prepare and get ready for this game," Smith said. "Long layoffs can be tough."

It was the 67th playoff win of Fleury's NHL career, moving him within one of Andy Moog for 10th all-time. It was his third shutout of the playoffs and 13th of his NHL career, tying Turk Broda for ninth all-time.
Fleury became the first goaltender since 2004 to have three shutouts in his team's first five playoff games, joining Nikolai Khabibulin (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Ed Belfour (Toronto Maple Leafs).
"I try not to think too much," said Fleury, who has a 0.54 goals-against average and .982 save percentage this postseason. "Just get out there and play my best, try to help these guys any way I can. They've been playing great in front of me too. It goes hand-in-hand."

Martin Jones allowed five goals on 13 shots for the Sharks, who hadn't played since April 18. Aaron Dell made 19 saves after Jones was pulled in the second period.
"We had a laundry list of issues tonight," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We weren't good. They beat us. Whether you lose 2-1 or 7-0, they don't get extra points for it. It's not pretty and we know we have to be better across the board."
Sharks forward Evander Kane was given a major penalty and game misconduct at 3:25 of the third period for cross-checking Golden Knights forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare after the whistle.
"I'm not a dirty player by any means," Kane said. "Obviously, it was unfortunate. I just went into a scrum and cross-checked him in the arm. Obviously, there was no intent. I'm glad he wasn't hurt on the play. It was good to see [Bellemare] on the ice.
"I don't want to put my team in that situation. We'll put this one behind us and look forward to the next game."

The Golden Knights scored four goals in the first period, three in a span of 1:31. Eakin (4:31), Haula (4:57) and Marchessault (6:02) gave Vegas a 3-0 lead. Tuch scored a power-play goal at 11:43 when he took a pass from William Karlsson at the blue line, weaved through four defenders and scored stick-side to make it 4-0.
"We were ready for the game," Marchessault said. "We managed the puck well in the first period and we played well. We didn't want to give them any life."
San Jose outshot Vegas 17-9 in the first period.
Theodore scored his second goal of the playoffs at 3:28 of the second period to make it 5-0.

Miller (4:32) and Neal (8:09) made it 7-0 in the third following Kane's ejection.
"I think we just got better in practice," Neal said. "We ramped it up. We talked about having a good first shift, and I think everyone did that tonight."

Goal of the game

Theodore's goal at 3:28 of the second period.

Save of the game

Fleury against Brent Burns at 14:43 of the first period.

Highlight of the game

Tuch's goal at 11:43 of the first period.

They said it

"It's the first adversity we've faced in the playoffs. It's on us to respond now. You don't get extra points for winning by a touchdown like they did. We have to be better. That's the message they sent, and we have to respond to that." -- Sharks coach Peter DeBoer
"They're going to be a hungry team, they're going to be a lot better. They'll be putting that one behind them pretty quick and looking to be a better hockey team. So we've got to be ready." -- Golden Knights forward James Neal

Need to know

The Sharks allowed more goals in Game 1 than they did in the entire first round against the Ducks (four). … The Golden Knights were 3-for-10 on the power play. … Vegas scored seven goals in the four-game sweep of Los Angeles.

What's next

Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVAS, SN)