Back on October 10th, the Sharks opened the season and had a chance to shock everyone with an opening night win over the Vegas Golden Knights. They didn't, losing in heart-breaking fashion after holding a 3rd period lead. They traveled to Sin City on Saturday night with a chance to get a win back. They were forced to battle back from a 4-1 deficit, but would fall 4-3 in regulation.

This was a growth moment for the Sharks. They played a team that many pick to compete for a Stanley Cup this season. The Golden Knights have had a tough time of it lately, but they're still built to win. The Sharks competed for all but a 7 minute span that cost them the game.

San Jose weathered the initial push by the Golden Knights, which resulted in a 5-2 shot differential between the two teams. San Jose made their 3rd shot count though.

The Sharks used a quick breakout via a long lead pass by Tyler Toffoli up ice to Will Smith who streaked up the left side then snapped a shot past Vegas goaltender Carl Lindbom. Smith uncorked his shot from the spot between the top of the left circle and the dot, sailing a puck over Lindbom's left shoulder.

Former Sharks Tomas Hertl tied the game on a how-do-you-do play right in front of the San Jose net. Two Sharks converged on a pin-balling puck between the circles when it chipped off a Golden Knights forward. The puck sat unattended with two defenders in the vicinity, but Hertl swooped in whipped a shot past Alex Nedeljkovic for his 10th goal of the season.

Vegas unloaded on the Sharks with 3 goals in the period, starting with Colton Sissons' 1st of the season at 5:36. San Jose coughed up the puck in the Vegas zone then allowed the Golden Knights to storm up ice on a 4-on-1 break. Keegan Kolesar put a shot on net that Nedeljkovic stopped but Sissons was next in line as the Sharks goaltender went down in the crease in an attempt to cover the rebound. He was late to it as Sissons jammed it home to give Vegas the lead.

Mitch Marner took advantage of a poor defensive play by Shakir Mukhamadullin who took a bad angle on the Vegas forward. Marner swooped around the back of the net and wrapped the puck around the left post for his 5th goal of the season.

Barclay Goodrow was sent off for hooking at 11:02 and the Golden Knights capitalized on the ensuing power play. Marner ripped a shot from the point that clipped Hertl in the slot, changing directions on Nedeljkovic to make it a 4-1 game.

The sharks could have packed it in, but there was still almost half a game to play.

Smith cut the Vegas lead to 2-goals at 14:40 with his 2nd goal of the game after Cole Reinhardt was sent off for hooking. The Sharks were fighting for the puck along the right wing boards, when Kolesar tried to move it, Celebrini got a stick on the pass which trickled to the front of the net where Smith swooped in a swept it past Lindbom.

The period looked as if it would end 4-2, but the Sharks intercepted a puck in the neutral zone. Adam Gaudette collected it from Mario Ferraro, then saw William Eklund breaking up ice. Eklund received the pass then skated in on Lindbom unimpeded and slipped the puck under Lindbom after cutting to his right.

Ivan Barbashev had a chance to pad the Golden Knights lead with 15 minutes remaining in regulation but Nedeljkovic stopped the breakaway attempt.

The Sharks pulled Nedeljkovic with 1:45 to play, then Brayden McNabb was called for cross checking Celebrini with 34.5 seconds to play to give the Sharks a 6-on-4 chance. They had a great look with 5 seconds left when Tyler Toffoli gathered a puck in the slot then tried whipping it home but Noah Hanifin got a stick blade in front of the shot at the last second to deflect it over the cross bar.

Game Notes:

* Will Smith skated in his 100th career NHL game.

* Defenseman Nick Leddy made his return to the lineup after missing the last 5 games.

* Macklin Celebrini recorded his 100th career point with the assist on Will Smith's 2nd goal.

* Smith and Celebrini led the sharks with 4 shots on net each. San Jose generated 21 shots on net.

* Smith and William Eklund have scored in consecutive games. Celebrini added to his point total with his lone assist. He now has 37 points on the season.