Hardly any hockey fan of the NHL can forget the fierce rivalry that began between the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks last season. As a new season is about to start, we will view how intense this rivalry has become. As well, why it is likely to continue.
Golden Knights/Sharks Rivalry Continues
Home-and-Home Series Will Get Things Going
We will not need to wait very long to watch these two teams battle it out. The first game of the new season will feature the two teams as they face each other in T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday night. Additionally, the second game is Friday night and the venue will move to the Shark Tank (SAP Center) in San Jose.
Evander Kane gets ejected for abuse of official vs Vegas.
Question 1: What is he thinking?
Question 2: What is he THINKING???
— Nathan “Grav” (@NathanGraviteh) September 30, 2019
One player for the Sharks who will be missing from both games is Evander Kane. This is because he received a three-game suspension. Kane went a bit out of control when he tried to slash the Golden Knights Deryk Engelland and wound up hitting the linesman instead. To make matters worse, the linesman tried to step in between Kane and Engelland and they both went down. Kane was again restrained when he got back up and tried to get at Engelland. He then made the huge mistake of shoving the linesman.
In this preseason tilt, the Golden Knights got some revenge for their embarrassing loss in the playoffs last season. After taking a 3-1 series lead they went on to lose the series. The game had some fireworks with 114 minutes of penalties being assessed. The seat in the penalty box was being kept warm most of the night. Evander Kane had 27 minutes of sin-bin duty himself.
These two teams just don’t like each other. There is bad blood between them ever since the infamous hand pass debacle and the Joe Pavelski incident. This creates some hard feelings between the Pacific Division foes.
The Evander Kane Suspension Will Hurt the Sharks
There is no doubt that Evander Kane is a talented hockey player. He excels in his skills with and without the puck. Finding open lanes and creating all kinds of trouble in the offensive end. However, what he lacks at times is emotional intelligence. There was no real reason for Kane to go after Engelland. He decided to escalate and that got him thrown out of a game already lost. He has hurt his team and will not be in the lineup for the home-and-home series against the rival Sharks.
There will be four games played between these two teams, with half of them being played this first week of the season. What lots of NHL fans may be anticipating is these two clubs facing each other again in the playoffs.
While the Sharks are still a very talented team even with the loss of key players, the Golden Knights seem to be rolling on all cylinders again this coming season. They will have the services of Mark Stone all season. Plus, their offensive firepower is bound to help them challenge for the Pacific crown.
San Jose vs Vegas
The Sharks have some weaknesses especially in goal and the defence has been questionable at times. The Vegas club has Mark Andre-Fleury and that has taken them quite a long way in their first two seasons.
Many thought when Vegas joined the league that there would be this instant rivalry between two desert cities, Vegas and Phoenix. That really hasn’t happened mainly since Vegas has dominated the Arizona Coyotes winning six of nine contests thus far.
The Sharks have not fared well against the Vegas Golden Knights with just a 1-5-2 regular-season record over the last two seasons. The two teams will tangle and fight, and claw their way through the season and don’t be surprised to see them in the playoffs facing off once again.
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