In Las Vegas, the San Jose Sharks rode the emotion of Patrick Marleau’s games played record to a 2-0 lead in their game with the Golden Knights on Monday.
It all crashed down when Mark Stone scored two goals, one the second and one in the third, to get the game even at 2-2.
The match marked Marleau’s 1,768th NHL game, good for the new NHL record.
“I didn’t know what they had planned or anything like that. It was super special to see all the things they did,” Marleau said. “I know there was a lot of work throughout the organization to make this happen. I saw all the patches, the sweaters, T-shirts, nameplates. They didn’t miss a thing.
“I thank the Golden Knights organization for giving the family a suite to sit in and enjoy the game tonight. Their fans through all the cheering and support they showed tonight, and a lot of Sharks fans too. Very humbling and very grateful for everything that happened tonight.”
Robin Lehner made 29 saves. for the Knights who ended the evening with a 3-2 win after penalties.
“I think in the moment, you don’t really understand the magnitude of it,” Stone said. “When I get home tonight and really reflect on what just happened, I think I’m going to have a big thing of emotion going through me, to be a part of a huge night for him.”
Nikolai Knyzhov staked San Jose to a 1-0 lead in the first period.
“I was extremely pleased,” San Jose head coach Bob Boughner said. “We know this was the hottest team in the League. There was a lot of emotion in this game and a lot on the line. We wanted to make sure we honored ‘Patty’ the best way we could. That was by playing hard as a team.”
Noah Gregor extended the lead to 2-0 when he with 29 seconds gone on the fresh ice of the middle frame.
“I think it’s very meaningful. It’s huge, having played most of my games here in San Jose, being drafted by them,” Marleau said. “It’s been a great organization for me and my family. My family’s grown up being part of it. it’s the right thing that happened, being in a Sharks uniform.”
Alex Tuch was the lone striker on penalties to get the deciding goal.
“We’re trying to find ways to win in different ways,” Stone said. “[That’s] what the best teams do. … You’ve got to find ways to win in crunch time, and I think we’ve done a good job of that in the last stretch.”
Martin Jones made 38 saves in the loss.
“We didn’t know they were going to stop play after the first whistle there, and that video and the response by both teams and the crowd, I was tearing up,” the Sharks’ Logan Couture said. “It’s just cool to be a part of, and something every player in this game will remember for the rest of their lives.”
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