Golden Knights struggle in overtime again, lose to Sharks, 2-1
After two straight convincing wins, the Golden Knights were put to a different test Thursday against a team that wasn’t mired in a losing streak or on the verge of firing its coach.
San Jose showed the Knights they still have a little more work to do.
Logan Couture cleaned up his own rebound with 1:40 remaining in a back-and-forth overtime, and the Knights lost 2-1 to the Sharks at T-Mobile Arena.
“We played our style of game. That’s what we want,” Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “Usually we get different results. It was one of those nights. We ran into a hot goalie, and we have to move on.”
San Jose goaltender Aaron Dell finished with 37 saves, including a spectacular stop on William Karlsson in overtime.
The Sharks had a goal overturned for goaltender interference and held the Knights scoreless in the first period at T-Mobile Arena for the first time in six regular-season meetings.
McNabb tied the game 1-1 at 9:42 of the third period when his wrist shot from the point sneaked through traffic. It was his second goal of the season, both coming against San Jose.
Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 27 saves for the Knights, who have points in three straight (2-0-1).
“It’s been a grind, and our team’s coming along and playing pretty good hockey,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I think we battled, probably could have won the game and should have won the game, but it doesn’t happen every night.”
Here’s what stood out from the Knights’ loss:
1. Free hockey proves costly.
The Knights’ overtime woes continued, as they lost for the fourth time in a game decided during 3-on-3 action.
They haven’t scored in their past 11 games that have gone into OT, including six this season. (They are 2-0 in shootouts.)
The last time the Knights scored in the extra session was Jan. 12 at Chicago when Shea Theodore was credited with the winner after Blackhawks defenseman Carl Dahlstrom knocked the puck into his own net.
Karlsson had two chances in OT for the Knights, who gave up two breakaways, including to Couture on the winner.
“I thought this was like a typical 3-on-3 game,” center Paul Stastny said. “There was kind of nothing, and then when one chance opened up, we had a couple of looks, they had a couple of looks. That’s 3-on-3. It’s kind of a crapshoot.”
2. Bump and grind.
The teams combined for a mere 10 minutes in penalties, but it was still a physical affair between the rivals with more hits (74) than shots on goal (67).
Gallant rolled his fourth line frequently during the first two periods, and they helped set up McNabb’s tying goal in the third.
Ryan Reaves finished with 12 hits, the most he’s recorded in a Knights uniform and two shy of his career high.
Timo Meier led the Sharks with nine hits.
“When they’re playing that game, they’re going to get their ice time,” Gallant said of the fourth line. “They deserved every minute they got tonight.”
3. Rude welcome.
Sharks forward Evander Kane was suspended for the season opener Oct. 2, and he received a rude welcome from the majority of the announced crowd of 18,275 on Thursday.
Kane was the last player on the ice during warmups and loudly booed as he skated toward the Sharks bench on his way back to the locker room.
When he hopped over the boards for his first shift, a “pay your markers” chant echoed throughout the arena.
Kane is being sued by The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for allegedly failing to pay back $500,000 in gambling markers the casino extended to him in April.
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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.