Golden Knights Postgame Report Card: Winners & Non-Winners in Game 1

The Vegas Golden Knights fell to the San Jose Sharks 5-2 in a non-competitive game at the SAP Center at San Jose on Sunday night. The Sharks never looked back after scoring the game’s first three goals less than 10 minutes into the first period. It was the first preseason game for both teams, and both sides opted to dress primarily rookies and prospects.

Coach Bruce Cassidy credited the players for finding their legs and doing a better job at winning races at battles as the game progressed.

Golden Knights Winners:

It is hard to credit a solid effort to a team that was down 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game. But the Golden Knights do deserve a fair amount of credit for not losing the second and third periods of the game. The glass is half full considering the way the game started. It was a 2-2 game for the last 50 minutes.

Pavel Dorofeyev had a gem of a pass to set up Ivan Barbashev’s goal in the first period. Dorofeyev deflected a pass that game off the boards behind the net quickly to the slot to set up the Golden Knights’ first goal. Dorofeyev had a number of scoring chances throughout the game including a breakaway.

Golden Knights non-winners:

Shea Theodore, Braden McNabb, Brett Howden, Max Comtois, and Paul Cotter got the start. All five players had a hand in failing to start a breakout which led to the Sharks’ first goal just 24 seconds in. Comtois could not handle a pass of the boards. Theodore sent a pass to Cotter that he tried to play with one hand. Seconds later the puck was in the back of the net.

It is preseason game one after a short summer, but more is expected out of the veterans during the game’s first shift.

Jiri Patera allowed five goals in two periods. Patera was under siege most of the night but it is hard to find the positive in giving up five goals. If there is a positive to be had, Adin Hill got off to a rough start last preseason and things turned out fine.