September 23, 2026 • 3:02 AM EDT
Updated 4 seconds ago
The Vegas Golden Knights toughed out a 2-1 preseason win over the San Jose Sharks in a shootout Tuesday, with a lineup that looked nothing like their usual star-studded roster. This game looked lopsided on paper. The Sharks threw out a lineup loaded with NHL veterans—names like Jacob Trouba, Dmitry Orlov, Tyler Toffoli, and Alexander Wennberg. They even featured top recent draft picks Ivar Stenberg and Michael Misa. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights rolled out a younger, less experienced group, seemingly saving their big guns for home ice later in the week.
But that’s the thing with Vegas. No matter how you stack the rosters, they simply don’t lose to San Jose often. Even in a preseason game with little at stake and with the odds against them, the Golden Knights outlasted the Sharks. That speaks volumes if you’re looking for intangibles like organizational culture and competitiveness that can carry over to meaningful games—or if you’re sizing up early-season betting angles.
According to Yahoo Sports, the win didn’t come easy. Vegas relied on a blend of blue-collar effort, sharp goaltending, and flashes of high-end talent from its young prospects. If you’re keeping tabs for futures or just reading the tea leaves, there were three key takeaways worth noting from this matchup.
The Top Line Shows Its Grit
Vegas skipped the veterans in this one, but their hard-working top line—Alexander Holtz, Tanner Laczynski, and Jonas Røndbjerg—set the tone all night. They drove the play, pressured San Jose’s defense on the forecheck, and kept their feet moving. They didn’t just hustle; they produced, combining for 11 shots and scoring the opening goal. That goal was all about persistence: Holtz and Laczynski worked the puck down low, got help from Braeden Bowman subbing in, and Holtz ripped a one-timer off a tidy setup. If you’re scouting depth scoring options or line chemistry in preseason, this trio made its mark.
Goalies Turn It Into a Chess Match
From the opening faceoff, you could tell this wasn’t going to be a free-for-all. Carter Hart, making his preseason bow for Vegas, absolutely stole the show. He stopped 28 of 29 shots, repeatedly bailing out Vegas when their young defense lost coverage or when the Sharks’ speed created odd-man rushes. That .966 save percentage is worth a raised eyebrow, even in preseason. San Jose’s Yaroslav Askarov wasn’t much less impressive, turning aside 22 of 23 that came his way. Bottom line—if you’re tracking goalie battles or defensive structure, both sides showed playoff-level competitiveness in the blue paint despite it being September.
Juho Piiparinen’s Confident Debut
This was a long-awaited peek at Vegas’ newest first-rounder, Finnish defenseman Juho Piiparinen. Just turned 18, threw into the fire against established pros, and he did not look out of place. More than held his own, in fact: over 20 minutes of ice, a couple blocks, a takeaway, and the poise to join the attack. That’s the profile of a kid who doesn’t play scared and could push for meaningful minutes sooner rather than later. Piiparinen’s composure is a bright spot for future Vegas blue lines and something futures bettors should clock.
- Vegas took the win in a shootout behind younger lineups versus San Jose’s veteran-heavy roster.
- Carter Hart delivered a standout goaltending debut with 28 saves and earned first star honors.
- San Jose’s Ivar Stenberg and Michael Misa provided early scoring threats but were thwarted repeatedly.
- Alexander Holtz’s top line kept the Sharks hemmed in and were responsible for Vegas’ only regulation goal.
- Juho Piiparinen impressed in his first preseason game, logging over 20 minutes and staying composed versus NHL regulars.
Head coach Ryan Craig put it plainly on Tuesday morning about his top prospect. As he stated, “He’s come as advertised from what we’ve seen. A great young man, great skill set.” That kind of endorsement tells you how high Vegas is on their youth movement—and why savvy bettors should be, too.
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