San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (left) got a big hug from right wing Ethan Cardwell (56) after scoring a goal against the Las Vegas Golden Knights at the T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas on Sat Oct 5, 2024 (San Jose Sharks X photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 6-5 in San Jose’s final preseason game of 2024. Jimmy Shuldt, Klim Kostin, Mario Ferraro, Luke Kunin and Ethan Cardwell scored for San Jose. MacKenzie Blackwood made 32 saves for the win.

Daniil Gushchin had five assists in the game. Pavel Dorofeyev, Alexander Holtz, Mark Stone scored for Las Vegas, wth Dorofeyev scoring a hat trick. Adin Hill made 23 saves for Vegas. Tomas Hertl had three assists in the game.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored the first goal of the game with a backhand shot at 4:19. Alex Pietrangelo set him up with a pass from the wing. Alexander Holtz also got an assist.

Jimmy Shuldt tied the game at 8:01 with a shot from the point through traffic. Adin Hill was without a stick and the puck went under him. Assists went to Luca Cagnoni and Collin Graf.

About a minute later, Klim Kostin gave the Sharks a lead with a snap shot off the rush. Assists went to Danil Gushchin and Ty Dellandrea.

Alexander Holtz tied it again with a wrist shot at 14:38. Assists went to Tomas Hertl and Dorofeyev.

At the end of the first period, the teams were tied on the scoreboard and almost tied in shots, 13-12 Vegas. Each team took a penalty and each team killed it off.

Dorofeyev made it 3-2 with the lone second period goal at 5:12. He tipped a shot from Zach Whitecloud at the point. Brayden McNabb also had an assist.

The Golden Knights outshot the Sharks in the second period 9-6, despite taking two penalties while the Sharks took none.

Just 35 seconds into the third period, Mario Ferraro tied the game at 3 with a slap shot in the slot. Assists went to Gushchin and Dellandrea.

Less than three minutes later, Vegas made it 4-3 with a power play goal. Mark Stone tipped a shot from Shea Theodore. Hertl also got an assist.

Dorofeyev completed his hat trick at 8:46 of the third, making it 5-3 Vegas. Hertl and McNabb got the assists.

As hats were picked off the ice, the shot clock read 14-1 Vegas in the period. The Sharks stemmed the bleeding with a power play at 11:51. Though they did not score, they regained their composure and got some shots on net. They allowed no more shots from Vegas in the period and added ten of their own.

With the net empty for an extra skater, Luke Kunin cut the Vegas lead to 5-4 with a tip-in goal at 17:00. Assists went to Gushchin and Alexander Wennberg.

At 18:18, Kunin scored again to tie the game, another tip-in off a shot from Gushchin.

Ethan Cardwell scored the game winner for the Sharks with 12 seconds left in regulation. Assists went to Nico Sturm and Daniil Gushchin.

The Sharks will open their season on Thursday at 7:30 PM PT at home against the St. Louis Blues.