Gets winner for Vegas after Eichel ties game late on dump-in from center ice
Golden Knights at Sharks | Recap
SAN JOSE — Reilly Smith scored 1:24 into overtime to secure a 4-3 win for the Vegas Golden Knights against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Thursday.
Smith put the puck into an empty net after San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic came out to the blue line to play the puck, but his pass was blocked and went to Shea Theodore, who tapped the puck ahead for Smith to slide into the open net.
“I’d like to score in different ways, but right now in the season, just take it,” Smith said. “I’m just glad I could help the team win.”
VGK@SJS: Smith helps Golden Knights earn comeback win in overtime
Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden scored, and Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (1-0-1). Mark Stone had two assists, and Akira Schmid made 20 saves.
Eichel’s goal tied the game 3-3 at 18:26 on a dump-in from center ice. Eichel lifted the puck into the Sharks zone, where it landed and then bounced awkwardly by Nedeljkovic.
“Just got caught in between on the third one, whether to go out and try to catch it in the air or let it bounce and hop,” Nedeljkovic said. “Usually when you’re in between at this level, bad things happen.”
The game-tying goal came seconds after San Jose’s William Eklund was twice denied a chance to score into the empty net.
“Well, we were certainly fortunate. The ironic thing is, we played that goalie twice in preseason. He’s played great against us, handled the puck well,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said, “A little bit of October hockey, I guess. The hockey gods went our way tonight. I actually feel bad for him. He played well in there.”
Jeff Skinner, Alexander Wennberg, and Philipp Kurashev scored for the Sharks in their season opener. Shakir Mukhamadullin had two assists, and Nedeljkovic made 27 saves.
“I liked our game. We were skating. Playing with good structure for the most part,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Obviously, a couple of things we’ve got to clean up, but I liked our game. Our guys competed.”
Skinner gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 5:31 of the first period. After Ty Dellandrea‘s shot deflected off traffic in front, Skinner chipped the rebound in.
VGK@SJS: Skinner scores his first goal with Sharks
Howden tied the game 1-1 at 8:09 after he took the puck in from the right wing and went around Nedeljkovic’s right pad as he cut across the net mouth.
“I thought we did a good job of trying to stick with it. Some nights, pucks aren’t going your way,” Howden said. “We got a fortunate bounce there at the end.”
Wennberg put the Sharks ahead 2-1 with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 6:59 of the second period. William Eklund‘s one-timer from the right circle rebounded off Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb to Wennberg in front for an open tap-in.
Dorofeyev made it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 14:22. Eichel fed a pass from the left wing to Stone at the goal line. He then slid a pass across the crease to Dorofeyev at the right circle for a one-timer.
Kurashev gave San Jose a 3-2 lead with a goal at 2:59 of the third period when he deflected Dmitry Orlov‘s slap shot from just outside the top of the left circle.
VGK@SJS: Eichel scores to send game to overtime
NOTES: Defenseman Noah Hanifin did not travel with the Golden Knights due to an undisclosed injury. … Skinner’s goal was his 700th career NHL point. … Kurashev’s goal was his first as a member of the Sharks.
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