Golden Knights Vs. Sharks: A Rivalry As Old As Time (Sort Of)

The regular season record seems lopsided for this rivalry. San Jose has a 7-19-3 record all-time against Vegas, which seems a bit… unfair (not for Vegas fans, though). However, the playoff side tells a different story.

Believe it or not, the Knights and the Sharks have faced off more than once in the Stanley Cup playoffs. These two squared off in Vegas’s inaugural season, where Vegas was the 4-2 victor in the series. In that series, there were two overtime games. Each team got an overtime victory, with San Jose winning Game 2 (4-3 in double overtime) and Vegas winning Game 3 (4-3 in overtime).

The next season was where the rivalry took off, though. Vegas held a 3-1 series lead in the first-round matchup, coming off a dominant 5-0 victory in Game 4. Max Pacioretty led the way with two goals and two assists while Marc-Andre Fleury got the shutout. The Sharks returned the favor the next game, winning 5-2. Here’s where the story gets tricky.

The next two games were decided in overtime. Game 6 went to San Jose, where Tomas Hertl took advantage of a short-handed opportunity in the second overtime to force a decisive Game 7.

But it was an outstanding performance by Martin Jones that sealed the deal for the Sharks. Behind 58 saves, San Jose managed to escape Las Vegas with a victory, setting up a dramatic matchup. What happened next remains a cornerstone of the rivalry.