The San Jose Sharks welcome the Vegas Golden Knights into SAP Center for the 2025-26 season opener!
Jeff Skinner, Alex Wennberg, and Philipp Kurashev scored, but the Sharks lost a 4-3 heartbreaker in OT.
Period 1
2 in: Orlov bad NZ turnover, but then he rocks Hertl trying to enter, turns him over. Gotta like that.
5 in: Good puck battle win for Dellandrea vs. Sissons.
Skinner goal: Dellandrea just throws it on net, good basic hockey, what he’s there for, and Skinner does what he’s good at.
Howden goal: San Jose Sharks had been playing well, but bad hockey catches up there. Goodrow exit pass turnover, but more problematic, on Vegas reload, Goodrow doesn’t stay with Howden, that creates a down-low 2-on-1 for Howden and Kolesar. Mukhamadullin had net front man, Orlov forced to contend with a 2-on-1, which is why he didn’t step up on Howden. No man’s land. Rest of the Sharks forwards had exited zone before Goodrow turnover, reason why there were just three Sharks in zone when turnover happens. Turnover, I think, it happens, but Goodrow has to stay with Howden better. Gotta re-watch, but think he went to try to erase him/create a turnover, instead of skating/containing him. FWIW not sure if Cardwell would’ve played it better, just saying. Maybe he skates it out instead of pass up middle?
10 in: Dellandrea-Graf-Ferraro-Liljegren first over the boards for the PK.
8 left: Goodrow forces a turnover high on the PK, good kill. Sharks PK looks firm.
7 left: Love that from Leddy, calm with puck in hairy situation, puck squirts to him in front of his goalie, Vegas on him, doesn’t panic, makes a move and resets.
2 left: Orlov gets pickpocketed on exit, Barbashev all alone, big Nedeljkovic save. Orlov seems to play a very risky game so far, that you hope his skating can compensate for.
Spirited period by San Jose Sharks, like most of what I saw. A little careless with puck but they played aggressive and pushed play on Vegas. From what I saw, I was transcribing the Hasso Plattner interview too, I liked what I saw from Dellandrea and Leddy this period. Orlov and Goodrow, not so much, though Goodrow, that was more one play and I don’t blame Orlov on the goal really (didn’t like other stuff).
Period 2
3 in: Great Smith feed to Toffoli on PP. Smith is just 20, he’s not going to put it all together yet, but the flashes of brilliance can be breathtaking.
Wennberg goal: The Tank loves it! Celebrini draws a penalty of Marner, just pushing the pace. Sharks just pounding away with shots, Wennberg puts in rebound. This might be loudest I’ve heard Tank since last opening night.
8 in: Lovely PP entry and exchange between Celebrini and Eklund. You can see this going for the next decade.
10 in: Good play from Goodrow to push Korczak out the way, so puck can exit zone.
7 left: Celebrini almost holds off Eichel one-on-one in OZ, Eichel spayed out on ice to hold him off. This is a 19-year-old sophomore. But then Kurashev tries an unfortunate spin pass on blueline, turnover. That’s losing hockey.
Dorofeyev goal: Golden Knights taking over, Mukhamadullin careless with stick, penalty. Liljegren looks bad here on PK, not sure if he was trying to block pass to Hertl in high slot.
5 left: Eklund stripped on exit, gotta re-watch, maybe the pass wasn’t good to him, but that’s the losing hockey that must stop for San Jose Sharks. Do Sharks have pushback?
4 left: Whoa Delly! Nice move on entry by Dellandrea, then drop pass to Graf foir chance in slot. Earlier though, Vegas had a 2-on-1 against this line, that can’t happen. Leddy went low, I think Skinner didn’t rotate, he thought offense. Before this though, Dellandrea probably got tripped, no-call.
Gaudette penalty: Sharks just hanging on a little this period.
Period 3
Outstanding forecheck win by Eklund, love. Then he hits Toffoli for pass up slot, but Vegas D stick stops a Grade-A. What a play by Eklund.
Kurashev goal: Kurashev retrieves puck in corner first, finds Graf for a chance. Stays on ice for possession, puck goes back to point, looks like he deflects it in. Dellandrea traffic.
3 in: Third line has another chance, Skinner on it. I’ve really liked Dellandrea this game, but I admit, haven’t watched as closely because of Hasso interview. Keegan verified my observation though!
5 in: Celebrini turnover on entry? Re-watch, tough pass from Kurashev in NZ. But love seeing Celebrini track back hard defensively.
Tomas Hertl being sincerely booed in SAP Center! I would’ve never thunk it, but that was a bad hit on Skinner
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 10, 2025
9 in: Another cool, calm play by veteran defense, Orlov gets puck under duress, uses his body to protect it though, then easy pass to nearby open man, exit. San Jose Sharks have added veterans on D who can both defend and move the puck. It was more one or the other before.
9 left: No idea how that didn’t go in. Gorgeous work by Celebrini to Smith to Kurashev. Looks like Schmid got over. Should be 4-2.
Smith penalty: He doesn’t like it, but looks like he did too much there. Classic Sharks situation here, 3-2 lead, PK time.
5 left: Hate Goodrow? Watch him one-on-one versus Dorofeyev for PP puck battle. He ties up Dorofeyev, puck goes out. Outstanding.
3 left: Schmid out of net, Wennberg pitchforks into scoreboard. Not normal lol.
Eichel goal: What?? Eklund inches from an ENG. Then Eichel dump-in? Beats Nedeljkovic.
OT
Reilly Smith goal: Wow. I think Nedeljkovic actually makes the correct decision to come out on that puck, it’s a breakaway if he doesn’t. But the execution obviously leaves something to be desired.
