Neal’s game-winner caps off successful road trip for Knights

SAN JOSE, Calif. — It wasn’t the Golden Knights’ best effort. But in the end, it was good enough to finish their six-game road trip on a positive note.

James Neal’s goal with 4:50 remaining broke a 3-3 third-period tie as the Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-3 Thursday at the SAP Center.

The Knights closed their 11-day trip with a 4-2 record and stayed atop the Western Conference with 76 points (36-14-4).

“We had some struggles, but at the end we found a way to win and that’s awesome,” said Jonathan Marchessault. “Any win in the West is a big game, and teams are going to come ready to play us. To get four wins, especially on the road against good teams, that’s big.”

Neal’s goal, his 24th, came off a Sharks turnover as Colin Miller took control, got it to Neal who fed David Perron who gave it back to Neal in front. His shot beat Sharks goaltender Martin Jones for the game-winner.

“They were going for a change, and a guy got stuck in between,” Neal said of the game-winner. “I heard (Perron) calling for it and I got it to him, and he made a great play giving it back.”

Marchessault scored an empty-net goal with 1:21 to play. It was Marchessault’s 20th, making him the fourth Knights player to reach the 20-goal mark.

Brayden McNabb’s goal with 10:24 to play tied it 3-3 after Joe Pavelski’s power-play goal with 12:15 remaining gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead.

Pavelski, who had a pair of goals in the win, took a cross-ice feed at the left post from Brent Burns and put his shot over Marc-Andre Fleury with Alex Tuch in the penalty box for high-sticking.

McNabb tied it, faking a slap shot, getting around the San Jose defense and snapping a shot over the shoulder of Jones with 10:14 to play for his third goal.

“I’ve seen him do it before so I wasn’t surprised,” coach Gerard Gallant said of McNabb’s scoring exploits. “It was a heck of a play and a heck of a shot by Brayden.”

The Sharks took a 1-0 lead as Pavelski redirected Burns’ wrist shot from the left point and past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury 4:40 into the contest. The Knights were being outworked and outskated and didn’t register their first shot on goal until just over six minutes remained in the first period, a Perron wrist shot.

However, Erik Haula was left unattended in front and he swatted the rebound past Jones to tie the game 1-1. For Haula, it was his 21st goal.

The Knights were outshot 16-3 in the first period but were still in the game as Fleury made several big stops including a glove save on Tomas Hertl off a rebound with three minutes to go in the period.

“I think it was important to play and it was a good way to finish a long trip,” said Fleury, who stopped 30 shots. “I just tried to relax and play a regular game.”

William Karlsson got his team-best 29th goal for a 2-1 lead in the second period lead as he tapped in a loose puck at the goal line after Marchessault’s shot was stopped by Jones.

However, the Sharks tied it 2-2 on Timo Meier’s power-play goal at 11:47 as Brent Burns’ shot deflected off Meier’s body and past Fleury

But his teammates battled back, ending the trip on a high note.

Next up is a seven-game homestand at T-Mobile Arena beginning Sunday against Philadelphia.

“We come out sleeping a little bit tonight and they dominated the first period,” Gallant said. “But Fleury kept us in the game, and it was big to come out of that first period 1-1.

“But it’s awesome to finish the trip with a win.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.