Golden Knights Hold On, Defeat San Jose Sharks, 4-3, Saturday Night; Attendance Reported At 17,919
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — To those living in Las Vegas and others following the Vegas Golden Knights around the planet, the VGK winning so consistently from Day 1 in 2017 and making the National Hockey League playoffs nearly every season is not as easy as it looks.
Let’s face it. Rooters of this big league team in the tourism-based Las Vegas market have been spoiled by VGK’s two Stanley Cup appearances and one NHL title in the first six seasons and then two more postseason appearances.
The Golden Knights, winners of only ten of 24 games entering tonight’s home game, showed how difficult it is to secure a win in the NHL these days by jumping out to a 4-1 lead over the improved San Jose Sharks in the second period Saturday night only to see the Sharks jump back into the game with two goals before the middle stanza ended.
Vegas held on to the slim one-goal lead and added two points to their season total with the 4-3 win after a scoreless third and final period.
After two periods, Vegas had a 4-3 lead thanks to two Tomas Hertl goals, a Mitch Marner tally and a goal notched by fourth line center Colton Sissons (first of the season).
The Sharks’ Will “Fresh Prince of San Jose” Smith scored two of San Jose’s three goals in the first two periods.
VGK goalie Carl Lindbom earned his first win as Vegas improved to 11-6-8 for 30 points, trailing the first place Anaheim Ducks and LA Kings by a point.
VGK head coach Bruce Cassidy removed Original Misfit Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad from the starting lineup and replaced those veterans with Alexander Holtz and Cole Reinhardt in the lineup. In his postgame presser, Cassidy said he wanted to “create internal competition” and hopefully the game lineup changes can spark some wins.
With the NHL season nearly a third done, teams are bunched together in the Golden Knights’ division. The Anaheim Ducks lead the Pacific with the Kings, Kraken, VGK, San Jose and Oilers all bunched together.
Cassidy acknowledged Vegas’ “uneven November” of play, but expects the Knights to improve in a competitive division. He expects the Edmonton Oilers, the past two seasons’ conference champs, to “find a way” and noted Seattle, Anaheim and the improving San Jose squad can be in the hunt, too, along with the LA Kings.
Cassidy does want to see improved play on the boards and in overtimes. The Knights have lost eight overtimes and shootouts this season.
VGK host Chicago Tuesday.
PSA
