The Vegas Golden Knights had a chance to take a two-game series lead last night in their home building for Game 4. The San Jose Sharks would be without two of their best players, defenseman Marc-Eduard Vlasic was unavailable again due to an unknown injury, and center Joe Thornton who was suspended one game for an illegal hit to the head on Tomas Nosek.

The Golden Knights opened Game 4 like they didn’t the previous two scoring quickly on Sharks goaltender Martin Jones. Max Pacioretty scored his third goal of the season postseason 1:11 into the game. Vegas would go on to defend against the Sharks heavy attack for the entire period but no shots slipped past Marc-Andre Fleury. With under a minute remaining in the period defenseman Shea Theodore weaved in and out of defenders dazzling the crowd with his first goal of the playoffs. Vegas held the 2-0 edge after one period of action.

Vegas tightened up and protected their two goal lead in the second period. More than halfway through the period Pacioretty lit the lamp a second time putting the Golden Knights up 3-0. The home team would skate into the locker room unblemished once again.

Vegas would tack on a fourth goal from a great individual play by Alex Tuch. Tuch gave Vegas a commanding 4-0 lead on his first goal of the postseason.

Evander Kane took a miserable pair of penalties and got himself tossed from the game essentially for the second straight game. San Jose did nothing but take penalties the rest of the night leading to X more VGK goals.

Vegas leads the best of seven series over San Jose (3-1) and have a chance to close out the series on Thursday night. Game 5 in San Jose is scheduled to start at 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)

Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of Round 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

• Steve Carp’s Wednesday playoff column on Fleury vs. Jones
• No matter what the Sharks try, they don’t have an answer for Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Paul Stastny
• Photo Gallery from Game 4

Ken’s Three VGK Stars

*** Shea Theodore
** Marc-Andre Fleury
* Max Pacioretty

#MarcAndreDonuts pic.twitter.com/Gf849QzLto

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 17, 2019

Evander Kane has been ejected. Shocking stuff.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 17, 2019

All series long (this year and last) I've been saying 5-on-5 is where Vegas does its best work against SJS. VGK have been the better team at 5-on-5, but they are winning the series because of special teams.

VGK PP – 5-16 (31.2%)
SJS PP – 3-20 (15.0%)

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 17, 2019

Make that 10 in 18. https://t.co/ozHcgOm3eS

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 17, 2019

Let's talk about a Game 4 butt kicking and a stranglehold on the Round 1 series. https://t.co/S7Oy3u7I3U

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 17, 2019

An important Game 3 between the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks would take place in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the the first playoff game in front of the Golden Knights fans since the disappointing loss in last year’s Stanley Cup Finals.

The excitement started immediately for Vegas fans when Mark Stone scored his fourth goal of the postseason :16 seconds into the game. It was the Golden Knights fastest postseason goal in team history. Vegas had an early edge and took advantage of multiple mistakes by San Jose. Sharks forward Evander Kane took back-to-back penalties leading to a power play goal for Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty’s second goal of the postseason gave the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead. San Jose would tack one on late in the period to cut the lead in half 2-1.

Vegas turned it on quick again out of the break scoring :21 seconds into the second period. Paul Stastny and the second line added another postseason goal to give the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead. Stastny would punch in another goal to give Vegas a 4-1 lead after forty minutes.

For the third straight period the Golden Knights jumped out scoring :36 second into the final period. Stone scored his second of the game and fifth of the postseason to give Vegas a commanding 5-1 lead. However, the four goal lead wouldn’t last long. San Jose added two goals within a minute to get within two. The Sharks threat wouldn’t last as Stone would give the Golden Knights a 6-3 on his first career hat trick.

Vegas leads the best of seven series over San Jose (2-1) with Game 4 coming up on Tuesday. Game 4, scheduled for 730p. (Recap by Jason)

Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of Round 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

• Photo Gallery from SinBin.vegas photographer Brandon Andreasen
• A look at the difference (if there has been one) in the matchups between home and away at 5-on-5.

Ken’s Three VGK Stars

*** Max Pacioretty
** Paul Stastny
* Mark Stone

The first playoff hat trick in VGK history is Mark Stone!

Let em fly!

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 15, 2019

It took :36 seconds this period!

The Stasnty, Stone, Pacioretty line has scored within the first 40 seconds OF EVERY PERIOD in Game 3.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 15, 2019

Spectacular period of hockey from the Golden Knights. Took over the game from the 1st shift to the last.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 15, 2019

What took so long?!?! :21 seconds in to the 2nd, Stone to Pacioretty off Jones to Stasnty and the entire line has a goal!!! 3-1 VGK

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 15, 2019

Mark Stone's goal is the fastest in VGK playoff history. Previous was Marchessault :35 into Game 3 vs. WPG.

Fastest in team history is Karlsson at :14. Against… SJS.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 15, 2019

No wasted shifts to start this game. Jones is a wounded duck right now, a puck past him in the first 5 minutes could be huge.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 15, 2019

Down 1-0 in the series the Golden Knights vowed to come out strong for Game 2 in San Jose.

Vegas couldn’t have started the game any better as Cody Eakin scored :58 seconds in to take the early 1-0 lead. A few minutes later Colin Miller wristed a shot past Sharks goaltender Martin Jones making it a 2-0 Golden Knights. Vegas wasn’t finished scoring adding a third goal in the period by Max Pacioretty. With three minutes left Vegas’ 3-0 lead quickly evaporated. Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Joe Thornton all had late period goals to tie the game 3-3. The Golden Knights were stunned after the first twenty minutes.

With the game tied 3-3 the Golden Knights tried to calm the storm. After an overturned goal on San Jose, Vegas forward Mark Stone regained the lead for his time scoring his third goal of the postseason. After a back and fourth period the score remained 4-3 after two periods played.

Shea Theodore took a an early third period slashing penalty putting Vegas on a penalty kill. Reilly Smith would send a beautiful stretch pass to William Karlsson for a breakaway short handed goal. Karlsson’s goal was the second shorthanded goal of the game and put Vegas up 5-3.

**** We will do the rest later. It’s a long way to the locker room***

(Recap by Jason)

Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of Round 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

• “Behind the scenes” of the William Karlsson shorty

Ken’s Three VGK Stars

*** Marc-Andre Fleury
** William Karlsson
* Cody Eakin

🍆🌋 (Am I using the emojis right @GoldenKnights) pic.twitter.com/OvgvzZZtb0

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 13, 2019

William Karlsson is the owner of the San Jose Sharks! What a stretch pass by Smith, then Karlsson on the catch, unreal. What a goal!

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 13, 2019

This game is too much for me. I can't feel my left arm.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 13, 2019

Let's talk about a massive Game 2 win in San Jose. https://t.co/Ox42cj82HI

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 13, 2019

For the second straight postseason the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks competed in a best of seven series. Unlike last season, Game one began in San Jose.

Both teams came out physical and ready to attack. Cody Eakin and Brayden McNabb landed hard bodychecks on Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson setting the early tone of the game. At the 13:35 mark of the first Pierre-Eduard Bellemare got called for a tripping penalty which lead to a Sharks power play. Joe Pavelski scored the series opening goal deflecting a shot from Brent Burns. After twenty minutes of play San Jose held on to a 1-0 lead.

The second period was plagued with penalties. Jonathan Marchessault and Sharks defenseman Brendan Dillon took matching minors, and Derek Engelland, William Carrier, Joe Pavelski and Timo Meier all spent time in the penalty box. San Jose’s Burns wristed a short past Marc-Andre Fleury doubling up Vegas 2-0. Defenseman Marc-Eduard Vlasic added another taking a commanding 3-0 lead. Vegas would get a goal from Mark Stone on tape to tape pass from Max Pacioretty. The two-goal deficit would evaporate ten minutes later when Evander Kane put the Sharks up 4-1 after two periods of play.

Vegas couldn’t get much going in the third as they continued to take penalties. San Jose took advantage and wore down the Golden Knights. Vegas trimmed the lead in half on Stone’s second goal of the game. The Sharks would a late empty-net goal to finish of Vegas 5-2.

The Sharks took the opener and lead the best of seven series (1-0). Game two in San Jose is scheduled for 730 PM on Friday night. (Recap by Jason)

Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of Round 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

• Entries, exits, and composure. VGK failed in three of the most important aspects of the game and find themselves in an early hole.

Ken’s Three VGK Stars (This was not easy)

*** William Carrier
** Mark Stone
* Shea Theodore

Let me make something abundantly clear though, VGK are still not losing this game because of officiating. It has not been good, but the Golden Knights have bigger problems at this moment.

Entries. Bad.
Discipline. Bad.
Composure. Bad.
Breakouts. Sub-par.
Goaltending… Eh.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 11, 2019

Let's talk about the Golden Knights rough night in the Shark Tank. https://t.co/sFKtNxNTOO

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 11, 2019

It was the Golden Knights and Sharks season series finale and it had very little actual meaning, but as the game wore on, you could tell both teams had something to prove.

Vegas jumped out early scoring on Sharks goaltender Martin Jones 3:54 into the 1st period. William Karlsson scored his 24th goal, and his 54th point of the season. Malcolm Subban playing on a back-to-back games stopped all of San Jose’s shots persevering the 1-0 opening period lead.

The Sharks tied the game :58 seconds into the 2nd period on Tomas Hertl’s 35th of the season. The tie wouldn’t hold for long as Cody Eakin continues his career season giving Vegas the 2-1 lead. Subban would again make key saves late in the period to keep the lead after two periods.

Evander Kane would get San Jose back in the game with a loose rebound in front of Subban. The Sharks would take their first lead of the game on a drive by Marc Eduard Vlasic off a face off. However, the Golden Knights would even the score 3-3 :38 seconds later. The game would need an overtime period to decide the game. Brent Burns would end it with a goal :22 seconds into overtime. The Sharks won 4-3 in OT.

The Golden Knights record (42-30-7). They are officially locked into the Pacific Division’s third place position, with three games left to play. The team will get back on the ice Monday night as Vegas will host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)

Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.

• Steve Carp’s Sunday column
• A logical guess at when the Golden Knights will play both to start the playoffs and at T-Mobile Arena.

Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Shea Theodore
** Cody Eakin
* William Karlsson

Got to save that. Yet again, too accepting of the screen in front of him. I don't want to change my opinion on Subban, but yikes, he has not been good this last week and a half.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) March 31, 2019

VGK wins the season series!!!

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) March 31, 2019