Sharks roasted by Vegas before Christmas break, give up five goals to Golden Knights in first period
The Sharks took a trip to Las Vegas around the holiday season, and like a lot of revelers in Sin City this time of year, they’ll be leaving with less than they arrived with.
San Jose fell behind from the get-go on Tuesday night against the Golden Knights and could not stop falling further, ultimately losing 7-2 after going down five goals after the first period.
It was a first period the Sharks (17-17-3) will have no problem leaving in Vegas. Brett Howden scored the first goal for the Golden Knights (17-8-10) on an odd-man rush less than two minutes in, then Mitch Marner doubled the lead when his pass across the crease deflected off Alex Wennberg’s skate and in.
Colton Sissons added a goal on another two-on-one, then former Shark Tomas Hertl deposited a puck in the back of the net after a turnover below the Vegas goal line.
Mark Stone finished off the period with a beautiful in-and-out move after a give-and-go with Ivan Barbashev, putting the Golden Knights up 5-0 with 1:26 remaining in the first.
Vegas hadn’t scored five goals in a game since Oct. 28. The Golden Knights are now 11-0-1 in their last 12 games against the Sharks.
Macklin Celebrini finally made a dent in the scoreboard for San Jose in the second period, scoring on a quick pass from Tyler Toffoli 6:49 into the period. The quick shot gave Celebrini 55 points this season, tying him with Sidney Crosby for the most points scored by a teenager before Christmas in NHL history.
Vegas pushed the deficit back to five when Reilly Smith one-timed in a pass from Kaedan Korczak with 1:10 left in the second period.
Marner added the capper for Vegas with a tic-tac-toe goal after a three-on-two at 5:22 of the third period.
Collin Graf scored his second goal in as many games with a tally at the 8:04 mark of the third. It was Graf’s 10th goal of the year and his fourth in three games, extending his point streak to a fifth game.
The Sharks will now break for Christmas and will not be out on the ice during the NHL-mandated three-day stoppage.
They will return to action against Vancouver on Saturday.
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