San Jose @ Vegas preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 4, 2019 ) Vegas 5, San Jose 1

The San Jose Sharks have been trying to dig out of a hole since dropping their first four games of the season, an ugly start that began by losing both ends of a home-and-home to the Vegas Golden Knights by a combined 9-2 count. San Jose has a chance to earn a measure of revenge when it visits the Golden Knights on Thursday night.

The Sharks were in the midst of their hottest streak of the season, ripping off six straight victories before visiting Edmonton stopped their run with a 6-3 victory. "We need to play a lot better than we did tonight or it could get ugly," captain Logan Couture of facing Vegas. "I think it's a wake-up call for us right now." The Golden Knights awoke from their own slumber, rebounding from five straight losses (0-4-1) with back-to-back wins over Calgary and Toronto to open a four-game homestand. "We've played better hockey," defenseman Shea Theodore said. "I think we've been playing faster, and a lot of our guys have been ready to go from puck drop and playing a full 60-minute game."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain (Las Vegas)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (10-11-1): San Jose scored at least four goals five times in its winning streak but was unable to keep pace with Connor McDavid and Edmonton, although Kevin Labanc scored for the second straight game after failing to convert in the previous eight. Couture, who has emerged from his funk with two goals and 12 points over his last six games, has scored three times and assisted on four others in seven meetings versus Vegas. The Sharks are 0-for-10 on the power play versus the Golden Knights this season.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (11-9-3): Marc-Andre Fleury celebrated a career milestone Tuesday, becoming the seventh goaltender in league history to post 450 wins and reaching the milestone in memorable fashion. Fleury, who is 5-1-0 with 10 goals allowed in six starts versus San Jose since joining Vegas, made a spectacular highlight-reel save that coach Gerard Gallant called “the best I’ve seen.” Max Pacioretty has six goals and four assists in nine games this month and has collected multiple points in three straight.

OVERTIME

1. Golden Knights F Mark Stone has scored in consecutive games and has 15 points in 14 contests versus San Jose.

2. Sharks D Brent Burns has nine points in 10 games versus Vegas.

3. The Golden Knights have scored three power-play goals in the last two games but were 1-for-7 versus the Sharks last month.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 4, Sharks 3