Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Blog: Mark Stone scores twice as Golden Knights sink Sharks in shootout

Vegas Golden Knights vs San Jose Sharks

Wade Vandervort

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) scores against San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) during an NHL Hockey game at T-Mobile Arena, Monday, April 19, 2021.

Updated Monday, April 19, 2021 | 9:50 p.m.

Mark Stone nearly won the game for the Golden Knights in overtime Monday. He'll have to settle for his two goals in regulation setting up the shootout victory.

Stone scored both of the Golden Knights' goals before Alex Tuch's shootout winner clinched it, and the Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2 at T-Mobile Arena for their seventh win in a row.

Vegas wasn't without its chances to finish it in overtime. Stone had a breakaway that would have given him a hat trick and Max Pacioretty fired off a wicked one-timer, but neither found twine.

Stone did tie it in the third period for the Golden Knights with his second power-play goal of the game early in the frame. He caught a Pacioretty feed, turned and whipped it around the pad of goalie Martin Jones at 3:29 of the period.

It was his 17th goal of the season, and the fifth game in a row he recorded multiple points. He's up to 52 points in 44 games this season — a 97-point pace over 82 games, which would shatter his career high. Ditto for Pacioretty who had two assists Monday, giving him 45 points in 43 games — an 86-point pace.

The Sharks scored the first two goals of the game on similar plays. In both instances they intercepted a Vegas clearing attempted and fired quickly on net, using traffic in front to shield Robin Lehner from seeing it fully. Nikolai Knyzhov had the first one at the 9:27 mark of the first period, and Noah Gregor was next 29 seconds into the second.

Stone answered the Gregor goal 55 seconds later with his first power-play goal of the game, a deflection off a Shea Theodore shot to tie it 2-2 at the 1:22 mark. Theodore and Pacioretty assisted on both of Stone's goals.

The Golden Knights came inches from a regulation winner in the final seconds when a William Karlsson shot trickled through Jones slowly toward the net, but Mario Ferraro was there to swat it away before it crossed the red line, and the game went to overtime.

Vegas finished with a 40-31 edge in shots on goal.

Check back to lasvegassun.com later for more coverage and read below for live updates from the game.

Golden Knights down one to Sharks going to third period

Trading goals works out well for the team in the lead. Unfortunately for the Golden Knights, they were behind after the first period and stayed there after the second.

Vegas and San Jose each netted a goal in the second period, maintaining the Sharks' one-goal lead as Vegas trailed 2-1 after two at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

The second period started out with both teams potting their goal in the first 90 seconds.

San Jose was first, whipping a shot by Robin Lehner that appeared to get a piece of his glove and flutter into the net off the stick of Noah Gregor. The Sharks had collected the puck after Vegas couldn't clear the zone, similar to their first goal. And like that one it was unassisted and added to the Sharks total.

Fifty-five seconds later, Vegas got it back. On their third power play of the night the Golden Knights connected courtesy of a Mark Stone tip of a Shea Theodore point shot. The captain's 16th of the season trimmed the San Jose lead to 2-1 at the 1:22 mark of the second period.

Even down a goal, Vegas showed plenty of life in the second period, particularly from the third line of Mattias Janmark, Nicolas Roy and William Carrier. The trio combined to put the puck in the net early in the period, though it was waved off. About midway through the frame they connected with another dangerous chance: first a Roy slapshot then a Carrier put-back attempt.

Still, the Golden Knights couldn't beat Martin Jones for a second time in the period. They turned the pressure up with 14 shots and held the Sharks to eight, but each side came out of the period with one goal.

Vegas led in shots 25-19 through two.

Golden Knights trail Sharks after first period

It was an emotional start to the game with a record-breaking appearance from Sharks forward Patrick Marleau, but after the first whistle it was all business. It was a fast-paced period, but the Golden Knights did not score and trailed San Jose 1-0 after one at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

San Jose jumped on the board first, collecting a Vegas attempt to clear the puck out of its own net and sent it back it toward the net. Nikolai Knyzhov fired it from the point, Joel Kellman provided a screen on goalie Robin Lehner, and the Sharks led 1-0 at the 9:27 mark of the first.

The Golden Knights had a pair of power plays in the first period, but were unable to convert on either one. The first came and went without much fanfare, but Vegas had a pair of good looks on the second, including Alex Tuch snaking through the defense for a short-distance breakaway.

San Jose came dangerously close to scoring a second goal as the period wound down. Evander Kane redirected a Logan Couture saucer pass off the crossbar, and only defenseman Brayden McNabb jumping into the net and batting it out of the air prevented the Sharks from getting a shot at the net.

Shots were even 11-11 after the first.

The game also included a special tribute to Marleau, who played his 1,768th game Monday, passing Gordie Howe for the most in NHL history.

Vegas forward Max Pacioretty gave him a fist bump before the puck dropped to start the game, and at the first whistle play stopped as the Golden Knights recognized him on the video board, along with a message form NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Marleau even almost scored, getting loose after Vegas' second power play expired, but was denied by Lehner.

Pre-game

The Golden Knights are ready to temporarily set aside their rivalry with San Jose tonight to honor a Sharks legend.

Patrick Marleau is set to play his 1,768th NHL game tonight, which will pass Gordie Howe for the most all-time. While there is no love lost between the Golden Knights and Sharks, it's clear how much respect Vegas has for Marleau and his place in hockey history. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

"He's Mr. Consistency," Vegas coach and former Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. "People have asked me to put the record in perspective or compare it to somebody else in another sport. When I think of Patty Marleau, I think of Cal Ripken Jr. in baseball. You know what you're getting every night. He was a gentleman; he was a great teammate, played for a long time and gave you the same thing, that consistency every time he took the field."

Among all the Sharks players, there's perhaps less animosity from the Vegas side directed at Marleau than any other player. He played the first 19 years of his career in San Jose then left for Toronto in 2017-18, the Golden Knights' inaugural year.

He wasn't with the Sharks during the playoff battles with Vegas, and after returning to San Jose last season, he has totaled just seven games as a Shark against the Golden Knights.

"A lot of us were talking about it (the record) and talking about when he was going to break it, so we're pretty excited to see it (tonight)" Vegas captain Mark Stone said. "As much as you hate your opponent, as much as you want to beat your opponent, you still respect your opponent."

Marleau started his career in 1997 and has rarely missed a game. He hasn't failed to suit up since April 9, 2009. He's played every one of his team's games since then, a streak of 898 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in NHL history.

Eventually, those games add up and now bring Marleau mere hours from hockey immortality. It's not just any record that Marleau is breaking. He's taking the place of "Mr. Hockey" atop the games-played list, a record Howe has held for more than four decades.

"It's a bit unbelievable," Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. "He's been so consistent throughout his career. The guy was an iron guy. He didn't get hurt for long periods of time and every year, he's always been a very good player also. To hang in there that long and play that many games is amazing."

TV: AT&T SportsNet (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-235, Sharks plus-205; over/under: 6 (EVEN, minus-120)

Golden Knights (31-11-2, 64 points; t-1st place, West Division)

Coach: Pete DeBoer (second season)

Points leader: Mark Stone (50)

Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (22)

Assists leader: Mark Stone (25)

Expected goalie: Robin Lehner (2.19 GAA, .918 save percentage)

Sharks (18-22-4, 40 points; 6th place, West Division)

Coach: Bob Boughner (second season)

Points leader: Evander Kane (38)

Goals leader: Evander Kane (17)

Assists leader: Brent Burns (20)

Expected goalie: Martin Jones (3.25 GAA, .896 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Max Pacioretty—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark—Tomas Nosek—Alex Tuch

William Carrier—Nicolas Roy—Tomas Jurco

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb—Shea Theodore

Alec Martinez—Alex Pietrangelo

Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Robin Lehner, Marc-Andre Fleury

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