Vegas Golden Knights overcome rally by Sharks, win in shootout

Jack Eichel scored the winning shootout goal and Jonathan Marchessault scored twice in regulation as the host Vegas Golden Knights beat the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on Sunday night.

Chandler Stephenson collected one goal and one assist while Brayden McNabb added a single goal for the Golden Knights, who are on a 5-0-1 run. Goaltender Jiri Patera made 35 saves through overtime and was perfect in the shootout to win his first NHL start of the season.

Vegas, which blew a late two-goal lead in the third period, recovered thanks to shootout goals by Eichel and Marchessault. The first two Sharks shooters were denied.

Mike Hoffman scored twice while Mario Ferraro and Calen Addison added a goal apiece for the Sharks, whose two-game winning streak came to an end. Mikael Granlund collected two assists and goalie Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 23 shots.

The Sharks sit in last in the league, but they have mounted big comebacks in three consecutive games, winning two of those contests.

Ferraro opened the scoring 29 seconds into the clash on the game’s first shot for his first goal of the season. Ferraro has 10 career goals in 280 regular-season games, with four markers coming against the Golden Knights.

Marchessault replied at 5:34 of the second period, converting while on a two-on-one rush, and Stephenson put Vegas ahead just over 10 minutes later when Alex Pietrangelo’s point shot ricocheted off his skate and into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Then McNabb made it a 3-1 lead with a top-corner shot 1:43 into the third period for his second goal of the campaign.

Hoffman’s power-play goal just over two minutes later, a pass attempt banked off a defender’s skate and into the net, made it a 3-2 game. However, Marchessault’s second tally of the game, and 14th of the season, restored Vegas’ two-goal edge at 9:23 of the third period.

The Sharks kept pushing and were rewarded.

Addison’s first goal of the season, which finished an odd-man rush, cut the deficit to one goal with 3:45 remaining in regulation. Hoffman forced overtime when he buried a shot from the slot with 38.2 seconds on the clock and the goalie pulled for an extra attacker.

Sharks forward Anthony Duclair left the game early in the second period after Keegan Kolesar hit him in the head with his shoulder while they were jostling for position.

–Field Level Media

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