Yaroslav Askarov gave the Sharks exactly what they needed in their preseason finale: a performance that looked a lot more like opening night than exhibition tune-up.
San Jose was under siege for long stretches Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, getting badly outshot from the jump, but Askarov held the line and helped carry the Sharks to a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. With the regular season opener less than a week away, the 23-year-old goalie made a strong case that he’s ready for the spotlight.
Askarov finished with 28 saves and was especially sharp early, stopping 24 shots through the first two periods. He was also a big reason the Sharks survived shorthanded situations, making nine saves while San Jose killed off four of five penalties.
The Sharks’ offense did its part once the game opened up. Macklin Celebrini, making his debut as the team’s captain, picked up a goal and an assist. Dmitry Orlov, Mason Marchment and Michael Misa also scored as San Jose wrapped up the preseason at 2-1-1.
Orlov got the Sharks on the board first with a power-play goal after taking a pass from Celebrini at the blue line, stepping into space and firing through a screen by Alexander Wennberg. That was one of the few times San Jose was able to dictate terms in the opening period, when Vegas piled up 13 of the first 14 shots.
From there, Askarov took over. He made 13 stops in the first 20 minutes alone, including three on the penalty kill and a blocker save on Trevor Connolly that stood out even in a busy night.
Vegas answered with goals from Tomas Hertl and Nic Dowd, and Carter Hart finished with 13 saves for the Golden Knights.
The game was tied 2-2 when San Jose found its late gear. Marchment broke the deadlock at 9:47 of the third period, finishing a rush with a shot over Hart’s shoulder from the left side. Misa followed in nearly the same manner, coming down the right wing and snapping one past Hart with 5:06 left to seal it.
San Jose still has roster decisions to make, with one or two moves needed to get down to 23 players by Monday afternoon’s deadline. But after Saturday, the bigger question feels pretty clear: Askarov looks ready to start Thursday night at home against the Florida Panthers.
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