Vegas keeps Sharks winless in the preseason
SAN JOSE >> The Sharks’ preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights had to feature some surreal moments for rookie forward Lean Bergmann.
Not only was he starting the game on the same line with Sharks captain Logan Couture, but he also created a handful of scoring opportunities on goalie Marcandre Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup winner.
“I’ve seen him on (television) all the time and now playing against him, that’s pretty special,” Bergmann said of Fleury. “Playing with Logan, too, he’s one of the best players in the league and is incredible out there. I’ve learned a lot.”
Bergmann, who will turn 21 on Oct. 4, certainly hasn’t looked out of place this preseason, as he finished Saturday’s game with five shots on goal, five hits and two blocked shots in the Sharks’ 3-1 loss to the Golden Knights at SAP Center.
“Plays with energy, plays the right way,” Couture said of Bergmann. “He’s still learning the systems but to me, he looked like he can play at the NHL level.”
Bergmann had 17:14 of ice time Saturday in his second game of the preseason, second only to Kevin Labanc (19:23) among all Sharks forwards. Bergmann also scored in his first preseason game on Wednesday in Calgary, where he was a +2 in 14:55 of ice time.
“He’s one of the guys that’s jumped out as (someone) really trying to make an impression,” Sharks coach Pete Deboer said.
Bergmann signed a threeyear entry level contract with the Sharks on May 28 after two years in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in his native Germany.
He scored 20 goals in 50 games last season for the Iserlohn Roosters, becoming the youngest player in the DEL to score at least 20 goals in a season. He also played for Germany at the World Championships this spring in Slovakia, and said his performance last season gave him the type of confidence he needed to be more creative in generating scoring chances.
Before playing pro hockey in Germany, Bergmann spent three years in the USHL. He said it was a valuable experience to come overseas and learn the North American game, but he was mainly asked to dump and chase the puck.
Now at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, he could get a long look to be a winger on the Sharks’ fourth line to start the season.
“I don’t really worry about that right now,” Bergmann said, “I feel a little better every day and I just give my best every day and whatever happens, happens.”
Forward Antti Suomela scored in the second period for the Sharks and goalie Martin Jones stopped 26 of 29 shots. Fleury stopped the first 17 shots he faced before Suomela redirected a shot from Marc-edouard Vlasic into the upper left corner of the Vegas net at the14:55 mark of the second period.
Suomela’s goal came 17 seconds after Max Pacioretty gave the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead. Valentin Zykov scored off an assist from Pacioretty at the 11:06 mark of the second period for the game’s first goal.
With Labanc serving a slashing penalty, Alex Tuch gave the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead with a power play goal just 58 seconds into the third period, beating Jones high on the glove side.