Golden Knights blank Sharks in Game 4
LAS VEGAS >> The Sharks played the kind of game they wanted to for two periods Tuesday night but couldn’t make the saves they needed as the Vegas Golden Knights moved to within one win of advancing to the second round.
Goalies Martin Jones and Aaron Dell combined to make just 11 saves on 14 shots through two periods as the Sharks lost 5-0 to the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena to fall behind three games to one in the best-of-7 openinground series. Game 5 is Thursday at SAP Center in San Jose.
Max Pacioretty scored twice and had two assists, with his first goal coming just 1:11 into the first period on the Golden Knights’ first shot of the game. The Sharks have never led in losing three straight games this series, as Jones also allowed the game’s first goal 58 seconds into Game 2 and 16 seconds into Game 3.
The Sharks also gave up a deflating goal to Shea Theodore just 47 seconds before the first intermission to fall behind 2-0 as Theodore split San Jose’s defense before he shoveled a backhand past Jones’ glove hand. Jones was pulled in favor of Dell to start the second period, the second time he’s been given the hook this series.
Playing without the suspended Joe Thornton, the Sharks had 26 shots through two periods but couldn’t beat Vegas goalie MarcAndre Fleury, who went on to record his 15th career postseason shutout.
Thornton was suspended by the NHL on Monday for one game for his illegal hit to the head of Golden Knights winger Tomas Nosek in Game 3. He will return for Game 5.
The Sharks still have not had an answer for the Golden Knights’ line of Pacioretty, Mark Stone and Paul Stastny, who came into Game 4 with a combined 22 points this series. Stone added two assists Tuesday.
THORNTON MISSES GAME >> The Sharks on Tuesday were disappointed but not surprised that Thornton was suspended for one game for an illegal check to the head of Vegas forward Nosek in Game 3.
Thornton received the suspension Monday, hours after he, general manager Doug Wilson and coach Pete DeBoer had a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. Thornton sat out Tuesday night’s Game 4.
“I understand where the league is on contact to the head. I get that,” DeBoer said. “There’s always a difference of opinion on the intent. I really don’t believe there was any intent there by Joe to hit him. But you have to live with the consequences. We’ll take it and move on.”
Thornton did not wish to extensively comment on the suspension, just the second of his 21-season NHL career, saying the team will “be just fine.”
“It’s tough,” Thornton said. Asked if he felt the suspension was warranted, Thornton said, “I feel good today.”
With Thornton suspended and Micheal Haley still recovering after blocking a shot from Theodore with his left leg in Game 3, wingers Joonas Donskoi and Lukas Radil returned to the Sharks lineup. The Sharks also were without defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who remains day-to-day after he blocked a shot in Game 2.
“Real simple. Come in, give us some energy, give us your best game,” DeBoer said when asked what message he gives to Donskoi and Radil. “I’m excited to see them. It was a tough decision sitting those guys out, putting our lineup in with how good both players are.”
It’s the second time in two playoff series against the Golden Knights that the Sharks have had to play a game without a suspended player. Last season, Evander Kane was given a one-game suspension for a cross-check to the head of Golden Knights center Pierre Edouard-Bellemare in Game 1. The Sharks won Game 2 in double overtime, 4-3.
• If you thought the war of words between Kane and Ryan Reaves would have slowed down by now, you were way off base. The exchanges between Kane and Reaves have been plentiful and have only intensified during the first-round playoff series.
Hours before the start of Game 4, Kane responded to Reaves’ comments the day before regarding Thornton’s hit on Nosek. Thornton said after Kane and Reaves fought in Game 3 that “it was tough to see Ryan go down like that versus a 30goal scorer, but hopefully he’ll have better luck next time.”
Regarding the hit, Reaves on Monday told reporters, “It’s gutless. It’s behind the play. It’s to the head. It’s everything you’re trying to get rid of in hockey.
“I’ve got a buddy with a grandpa who’s going through the same thing. He can’t see very well because he’s getting old. Needs glasses. If (Thornton) gets suspended he’s going to have a hard time seeing from the press box.”
Kane responded Tuesday, saying, “To chirp Jumbo’s vision — the guy has over 1,000 assists — that doesn’t seem too bright. One of the best passers, one of the best guys with vision on the ice to ever play the game. It just shows a lot about his hockey knowledge and his hockey IQ. Clearly it’s lacking.”
Reaves and Kane have competed against each other going back to their days in junior hockey in Western Canada. Reaves, 32, first played in the NHL during the 2010-11 season. Kane, 27, made his NHL debut the season before.
Kane said he came out of the fight with Reaves unharmed. Both players were given fighting majors with 2:01 left in the third period. Vegas led 6-3 at the time and that’s the way the game ended.
“For being the toughest guy in the league, I don’t know if he landed a punch,” Kane said. “At times, I thought I was fighting the muffin man.”