San Jose Sharks right wing Timo Meier (28) attempts to skate around Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP News photo)

By Matthew Harrington

Thursday night’s 2-1 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena could be representative of the San Jose Sharks season as a whole. Get severly outshot but still hold the lead for a time; check. Punch up against a superior class team for a majority of the game; check.

The Sharks lead into the third period but give up the advantage late; check. The only thing missing for San Jose (17-28-11) was an Erik Karlsson point or two (or three or four as this season has gone).

Alexander Barabanov scored his tenth goal of the year and Kaapo Kähkönen played brilliantly once again, making 36 saves on 38 shots but a Vegas (33-18-4) goal tied the game early in the third period and finished off the Sharks on a William Carrier goal with 18 seconds left in regulation to pick up their fourth consecutive win.

The Sharks were outshot 38-26, thanks largely to seven Golden Knights power plays, but killed off all the opportunities and survived a 14-4 first period shot differential to lead the Pacific Division leaders after 40 minutes.

The game-winner came on an offensive faceoff win for the Golden Knights and was a result of Matt Benning and Nick Bonino both getting tied up with Nicolas Roy in the slot.

Two defenders on one man allowed Carrier to sneak into the far post unmarked. Chandler Stephenson was able to make the connection and Carrier was able to hammer home the tap-in for his 15th of the year. Bonino drew an abuse of officials misconduct for arguing Roy’s entanglement.

Vegas tied the game on another Sharks miscue after Tomas Hertl wiped out in the offensive zone, with Jack Eichel spring Paul Cotter on a two-on-one. He elected to shoot rather than pass through Karlsson, beating Kähkönen from the face-off dot 6:22 into the third. Cotter has goals in three-straight.

Barabanov stayed hot for the Sharks, picking up his eight point in six games when he scores on the rebound with 2:56 left in the second period. His tenth goal of the year came off a Marc-Edouard Vlasic shot, with Logan Couture picking up the secondary assist. Kähkönen has allowed just eight goals over his last four starts.

The Sharks return home Saturday night to face the Buffalo Sabres. It kicks off a seven-game homestand filled with teams struggling to make the playoffs or fully entrenched in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes, a welcome sight after the grueling road trip of late January and early February.