Golden Knights fall to Sharks in controversial double-OT loss

By Jesse Granger

Published Saturday, April 28, 2018 | 3 p.m.

Updated Saturday, April 28, 2018 | 9:21 p.m.

The Golden Knights came as close as you can come to winning a hockey game without actually winning it, Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Jonathan Marchessault thought he won the game in the first overtime when he fired the puck past Martin Jones and into the net, but the goal was waived off for goaltender interference.

In the second overtime the Sharks cashed in on their second power play of the period when Logan Couture beat Marc-Andre Fleury to give the Sharks a 4-3 win and tie the best-of-seven series 1-1.

Golden Knights, Sharks tied 3-3 after one overtime

Jonathan Marchessault thought he won the game for the Golden Knights with 3:02 left in the first overtime when he backhanded a shot into the net.

Minutes later after video review, officials determined there was goaltender interference and the teams continued playing tied 3-3.

Marchessault came from behind the net just seconds before the goal, and SHarks defender Brenden Dillon appeared to make contact with his own goaltender — Martin Jones — causing him to slide out of position. The officials ruled that Marchessault caused the contact, negating the goal.

After a brief intermission, the teams will resume playing in double overtime. It’s the second double-overtime of the postseason for the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights, Sharks tied 3-3 after regulation

Nate Schmidt drilled a slap shot passed San Jose goalie Martin Jones to send Saturday night’s game into overtime.

Schmidt’s first goal of the postseason slipped through Jones to tie the game 3-3 with 6:32 to play, and was assisted by Shea Theodore and Erik Haula.

The Sharks outshot Vegas 34-20 in regulation but Marc-Andre Fleury was great again to keep the Golden Knights in the game. His best save of the third period came during a power play for San Jose. Defenseman Brent Burns was looking for his third goal of the game with a shot following a cross-ice pass but Fleury managed to get across to stop it.

Vegas is 1-0 in overtime this season in the playoffs. Haula scored near the end of double overtime to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 win in game two of the first round on April 13.

Sharks lead 3-2 after two periods

The San Jose Sharks scored three-straight goals to take a 3-2 lead over the Golden Knights entering the final period Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Star defenseman Brent Burns got San Jose on the board at the two-minute mark of the second period. The goal ended Fleury’s shutout streak at 144:04 dating back to game three of the first round playoff series against the Kings.

Logan Couture tied the game 2-2 with a one-timer that beat Fleury’s glove side, and Burns scored his second goal of the game on a wraparound attempt to give the Sharks their first lead of the series.

Both of Vegas’ goals came off the stick of William Karlsson. Only 26 seconds into the second period he looked across the ice at his streaking teammate, and leaned in to make the pass before switching and firing a snapshot on goal.

It fooled Sharks’ goalie Martin Jones and gave Karlsson his second goal of the game and third of the playoffs to put Vegas up 2-0 early in the period.

The Golden Knights have been outshot 24-13, and committed six penalties in the second period alone.

Golden Knights lead 1-0 after one period

Golden Knights’ defenseman Colin Miller fired a slap shot wide of the San Jose net, and it ricocheted off the end boards and directly to teammate William Karlsson.

Karlsson fired the puck from a difficult angle into the wide-open net for his second goal of the playoffs to give Vegas a 1-0 lead after one period at T-Mobile Arena.

San Jose played much better than the start of game one, outshooting the Golden Knights 9-5 in the first 20 minutes, but couldn’t beat Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury’s shutout streak has now grown to 142 minutes, and he has stopped 74 straight shots in that span.

The referees showed they are calling the game tightly after a physical game one, issuing matching minors on two different occasions in the first period for pushing and shoving after the whistle.

Pre game

Fresh off of the 7-0 beatdown in game one, the Golden Knights host an angry San Jose Sharks team tonight at T-Mobile Arena.

Sweeping the Ducks in the first round, Thursday was San Jose’s first loss of this postseason and the Sharks will be hungry to even the series before heading home.

“I expect them to be ready from the drop of the puck,” Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “We took it to them from the beginning of the game and put them on their heels. We have to be ready for that pushback.”

Vegas jumped on San Jose with four goals in the opening period of game one, riding the wave of momentum to a blowout win, but no one expects a repeat performance of that.

“It will be a 100 percent turnaround,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “They are a good hockey team. They’re going to play a good, solid hockey game and get back to their game.”

The Sharks did muster 33 shots on goal in the first game, but were unable to beat Marc-Andre Fleury even once. The veteran netminder has been spectacular this postseason with three shutouts in five games. He hasn’t allowed a goal in 122 minutes of hockey, stopping 65 straight shots.

“I thought our defensemen were great helping me out, and blocking some shots,” Fleury said. “I think they’re going to come out flying and we will see them at their best.”

But the Sharks won’t be at full strength. Top-line forward Evander Kane has been suspended by the NHL for tonight’s game after bloodying Pierre-Edouard Bellemare’s face with a cross-check after the whistle in game one.

Kane was given a five-minute misconduct penalty during the game and a one-game suspension.

The NHL Department of Player Safety said, “This cross-check occurs well after the whistle is blown & serves no purpose other than a strike to an opponent's head. This is not a hockey play."

It’s a big loss for San Jose, as Kane had three goals and an assist for the Sharks in the first round of the playoffs.

Prediction: Golden Knights 3, Sharks 1

Playoffs record for predictions: 4-1

Season record for predictions: 38-26

Puck drops: 5:00 p.m.

Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

TV: NBC (DirecTV 3, Cox 1003, Dish Network 3, CenturyLink Prism 3)

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-185, Total 5.5 minus-140 to the under

Golden Knights playoff record (5-0) (3-0 home)

Coach: Gerard Gallant

Playoffs goal leader: Five tied (2)

Playoffs assist leader: Reilly Smith (6)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (5-0, 0.54 goals against average)

San Jose Sharks playoff record(4-1) (2-1 away)

Coach: Peter DeBoer

Playoffs goal leader: Three tied (3)

Playoffs assist leader: Joe Pavelski (4)

Expected goalie: Martin Jones (4-1, 2.05 goals against average)

Golden Knights expected game day roster

Forwards (12): Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Ryan Carpenter, William Carrier, Cody Eakin, William Karlsson, Oscar Lindberg, Jonathan Marchessault, James Neal, Tomas Nosek, David Perron, Reilly Smith, and Alex Tuch.

Defensemen (6): Deryk Engelland, Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill, Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt and Shea Theodore.

Goalies (2): Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban

Jesse Granger can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Jesse on Twitter at twitter.com/JesseGranger_.