Sharks Can’t Overcome Golden Knights (Again), Lose 4-2

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Vegas Golden Knights into SAP Center.

William Eklund and Timothy Liljegren scored, but Vegas won 4-2.

The Golden Knights have swept the Sharks in consecutive years, San Jose’s seventh-straight loss to big bad Vegas.

Period 1

2 in: Nimble Georgiev bang-bang save on Howden in slot.

3 in: Outstanding work by Kunin, Whitecloud draped over him in front, to get shot off. Off Kovalenko shot rebound.

4 in: Dorofeyev almost slips Mukhamadullin at blueline. Good recovery, quick feet, but also looks like the defender caught napping.

7 in: Zetterlund maybe puck-watching, lets Theodore alone down the slot by himself on the rush.

Stone goal: That can’t happen. Looks like Ceci lets Stone behind him. San Jose Sharks after a decent start starting to feel the push.

Whitecloud goal: Mukhamadullin turnover in the middle of the ice. Just not alert, Vegas forechecker was prowling on blind side. Whitecloud coming down middle, you’d like Georgiev to get that, though it’s also a Grade-A off a turnover. Think last six-or-so shots are Vegas.

9 left: Smith may have heeled an open net shot. Good shift from the Celebrini line, best offensive life so far. Graf in the slot had a chance too.

5 left: Rondbjerg lifts Mukhamadullin’s stick in the corner, takes the puck. Not a strong period for the young defenseman.

Kovalenko beaut steal on Hertl high on San Jose blueline, springs Goodrow breakaway, but Samsonov!

Vegas 13-12 shots, credit to San Jose for some pushback, rout could’ve been on after Whitecloud. Still could be. But maybe should be 1-0.

Period 2

2 in: Mukhamadullin’s first shift since 4:47 of the first. Like I noted, he’s gotta wake up. Message sent.

6 in: FWIW I’m really watching Mukhamadullin and Thrun closely tonight. Mukhamadullin, there’s too much timidness. Reminds me of a deer in the headlights at times, when the potential is there for “fear the deer”. Needs a villain origin story haha just kidding. But with some bite, I see it coming together.

7 in: Graf extra effort on Pietrangelo in DZ slot, like.

8 in: Looks like Kovalenko promoted over Kostin on third line, deserved. Kostin had been a lot of sound and fury tonight, but signifying nothing. Hasn’t made the connecting play, given up the puck too much.

8 in: Smith looked hurt after getting crunched by McNabb into teammate, but remains on bench.

Eklund goal: Nice little triangle attack formed by Wennberg, Graf, and Eklund. Quick pass into slot by Graf, like.

Find Thrun to be workman-like tonight so far, but I’d like to see a few more plays killed. Not standing out.

7 left: Another beaut Graf feed, now to Smith in slot, big Samsonov save.

That Liljegren shift, he’s actually had a decent game I think, but soft little pass on exit, doesn’t get out, Vegas has another 30 seconds to roll around in the zone. That’s the stuff that keeps him from an everyday higher-end role I think. Especially for a San Jose Sharks side getting worked on shot counter in this period. You need to stem momentum. Soft plays up the middle don’t cut it.

5 left: Thrun has skated with Eichel competently tonight, contained him in zone.

4 left: Like that Mukhamadullin pin on Kolesar. Leads to clean exit.

2 left: Liljegren gets jumped by forecheck, not his fault, got a suicide pass I think, but he remains in good D position, intercepts slot pass to Stone.

Thrun versus Hertl, I think Thrun does OK there net front.

Gotta give Georgiev some credit, didn’t like the Whitecloud goal, but he’s stopped all 19 shots that he’s faced in the second period. San Jose Sharks mustered only four shots in the period, but one goal, so he’s certainly keeping them in the game.

Period 3

Olofsson goal: Golden Knights looking for that shot all power play. Georgiev stopped it once when Olofsson had to dust it off. Next time, Eichel makes a ridiculous pass through multiple layers cross-slot, no chance for Georgiev.

2 in: Kostin’s first shift since 8:31 into the second. Now on the fourth line.

4 in: Inexperienced hockey from Kovalenko. Gets a rim in NZ, goes backwards with it, Vegas forechecker takes it. Basically gives away a free zone entry. You go backwards, be 100 percent sure.

This game, you need some dynamism from the blueline, which Sharks don’t have without Walman. A guy who can beat the F1 with regularity.

7 in: Smith and Thrun fall asleep, let Eichel behind them. Obviously one of the two needs to get him. But then, and this is so important, Thrun compounds mistake, not getting it out though he has 100 percent possession.

9 in: Noticeable that PP2 gets first crack on the power play.

Liljegren goal: Good for him, pretty strong overall game, relatively at least, just hit a post earlier on PP. Wennberg screen on the goal.

Hertl goal: Celebrini will have to learn from that. Mack thinking too far ahead there, I think. Stone just schools the kid.