By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
After 10 consecutive starts by VGK goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, the Knights had a new goalie between the pipes and his name was not Robin Lehner, who was signed to be a big contract during the off-season.
Oscar Dansk got the call for Friday night’s showdown with the San Jose Sharks, Dansk’s first start for the Knights since October 2019.
The Knights, who have feasted at T-Mobile Arena with a sizzling 10-2-1 at home on the way to a 14-4-1 mark after 19 games, began a half-dozen straight road games with two goals on their first three shots in San Jose.
Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith ended his 10-game goal-scoring slump for the Knights’ first goal before red-hot center Chandler Stephenson took a pass from Mark “Mr. Assist” Stone and snapped home a goal 1:15 later and the VGK jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead that they took into the first intermission. It was Smith’s fourth goal of the season, while Stephenson notched goal seven of the campaign.
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San Jose goalie Martin Jones was pulled from the game after VGK forward Max Pacioretty scored on a long wrist shot that gave the Knights a 3-0 lead. Jones gave up three VGK goals on eight shots was replaced by Devan Dubnyk. It was Pacioretty’s 11th goal of the season.
San Jose got on the scoreboard when Brent Burns scored on the powerplay for his fifth this season, while Matt Nieto made it 3-2 on a two-on-one with a wrist shot for his fourth.
The Knights 3-0 lead was down to a 3-2 edge.
The Knights took that one-goal lead into the second intermission
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After a Ryan Reaves – Kurtis Gabriel fight to begin the third period, red-hot Alex Tuch scored his sixth goal in six games 26 seconds into the period to up the VGK lead to 4-2. Tuch had scored four goals in the team’s first 14 games.
San Jose responded.
Logan Couture answered with his 12th goal of the year and the Knights’ lead was sliced to 4-3.
With 1:07 left in the period, the Sharks scored the equalizer when Dansk fanned on a bouncing puck. “I had to own up to it and play again. We have each other’s backs,” Dansk said.
A VGK 3-0 lead morphed into a 4-4 tie going into OT in San Jose. Sounds familiar to Golden Knights fans.
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Pacioretty scored the game-winner in OT — his third overtime winner of the year.
Alex Pietrangelo fed Patches for the win.
You gotta have the mindset that you have to attack on the 3-on-3, if you don’t take any chances then you’re probably not going create much. — Max Pacioretty
The two teams go back at it tomorrow in San Jose.
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San Jose had two of the four players on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list.
— VGK defenseman Brayden McNabb, out since January with an injury, is with the team
— The Sharks entered the game seven points out of the playoffs.