Shorthanded goals lead to the Knights defeating the Sharks

Brayden McNabb and Jack Eichel scored short-handed goals 23 seconds apart to cap a four-goal third-period outburst as the visiting Vegas Golden Knights cruised to a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Friday night.

Vegas recorded its 14th comeback win of the season, extending its overall winning streak to a season-best five games.

Eichel, McNabb, Mark Stone and Brett Howden each had a goal and an assist, and Noah Hanifin and Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for the Golden Knights.

Alex Pietrangelo had three assists, Victor Olofsson added two assists and Adin Hill finished with 22 saves for the Golden Knights, who won for the ninth time in their last 10 games and moved to 13-0 in the regular season at San- 3 all-time improved Jose.

Will Smith had a goal and an assist and Shakir Mukhamadullin and Tyler Toffoli also scored for San Jose, which lost its sixth straight game (0-5-1). Fabian Zetterlund contributed two assists and Alexandar Georgiev made 30 saves.

Vegas took a 1-0 lead at 6:58 of the first period. A wide-open Hanifin broke through the slot and sank a wrist shot over Georgiev’s left shoulder.

San Jose tied the score at 14:40 of the first period on Mukhamadullin’s first career NHL goal, a slap shot from the left point that slipped over Hill’s right pad and into the near post.

The Golden Knights regained the lead at 3:27 of the second period on Stone’s backhand rebound off an Olofsson shot.

However, San Jose rallied and took a 3-2 lead later in the quarter. At 5:53, Smith parried a pass from Macklin Celebrini for the equalizer, and Toffoli followed at 15:57 with his 14th goal, giving the team the lead. Toffoli’s pass from the endboards toward the front of the net bounced off the leg of Vegas defender Nicolas Hague and landed inside the right post.

The Golden Knights then opened the third period with three goals in the first 5:46 minutes, including two shorthanded goals, to take control of the game.

McNabb made it 3-3 at 1:03 with a wrist shot from the left circle over Georgiev’s glove after scoring his first goal in 30 games following a deft curl-and-drag move.

Eichel followed 23 seconds later with another shorthanded goal, the team’s third in two games, as he drove past the right side of the goal and deflected a shot off Georgiev’s back.

After 5:46 minutes, Dorofeyev increased the lead to 5:3 with a backhand shot around Georgiev’s block.

The Sharks pulled Georgiev for an extra attacker with 2:45 left, and Howden sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 31.5 seconds left.

–Field level media