Vegas @ San Jose preview
SAP Center at San Jose
Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2019 ) San Jose 2, Vegas 1
The Vegas Golden Knights will look to maintain their share of the Pacific Division lead Sunday when they travel to San Jose to face the Sharks, who have managed one win in nine December games. Vegas was two goals down less than halfway through the first period Thursday against Vancouver, but Mark Stone's goal with less than five minutes remaining in regulation helped the Golden Knights force overtime before they fell to the Canucks 5-4.
The Golden Knights have lost all 12 games they’ve played this season where they have gone down by two goals, but Thursday was the first time they overcame the deficit to force overtime. “I think earlier in the year, we didn’t really have that killer instinct to come back in a game,” Vegas left winger Max Pacioretty told reporters. “Being able to claw your way back into a game is a good feeling, but ultimately you want to get that second point.” The struggles continued for the Sharks on Saturday as they suffered a 5-2 home loss to St. Louis in the first meeting between the teams since the defending Stanley Cup champions eliminated San Jose in the Western Conference Finals last season. Defenseman Brent Burns registered a goal and an assist for the Sharks on Saturday and sports a team-worst minus-24 rating for a squad that has allowed the second-most goals in the NHL (129).
TV: 10 p.m. ET, AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain (Vegas), NBCS California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (19-13-6): Pacioretty and Stone, who lead the team with 36 and 34 points respectively, are each riding their own six-game point streaks as the linemates have combined to collect 20 points over that span. Vegas dropped to 2-9-2 when goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury fails to have a save percentage of at least .900 as the 35-year-old allowed five goals on 34 shots against the Canucks on Thursday. Nick Holden scored his fourth of the season against Vancouver which tied him with Shea Theodore for the team lead for goals by a defenseman.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (16-19-2): San Jose claimed right winger Stefan Noesen off waivers from Pittsburgh on Thursday and he scored in his first game with his new team while also adding two shots and two hits in 10:16 of ice time. Joe Thornton has amassed 413 goals in 1,603 career games but none have come in 37 contests this season as the 40-year-old has 12 assists but has failed to find the back of the net. Goaltender Aaron Dell has a 3.17 goals-against average with a .895 save percentage and will start in goal Sunday after Martin Jones allowed three goals on 26 shots against the Blues on Saturday.
OVERTIME
1. Golden Knights C William Karlsson leads the NHL with five short-handed points (two goals, three assists).
2. Sharks C Logan Couture played in his 700th career game Saturday - all with San Jose - and is fourth on the franchise’s career points list with 539.
3. Vegas is in a three-way tie for first place in the Pacific Division with 44 points alongside Arizona and Edmonton.
PREDICTION: Golden Knights 5, Sharks 4