Marner scores 2 as Golden Knights get 5 in 1st period and beat Sharks 7-2

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San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg (3) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) fight for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) celebrates with, from left, defenseman Brayden McNabb (3), defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6), and right wing Braeden Bowman (42) after his goal against the San Jose Sharks during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus) — San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg (3) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) fight for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

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12:41 AM on Wednesday, December 24

The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mitch Marner scored two goals, Reilly Smith had a goal and an assist, and the Vegas Golden Knights tied a franchise record with five goals in the first period and beat the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Tuesday night.

Mark Stone also had a goal and an assist, and Brett Howden, Colton Sissons and Tomas Hertl also scored for Vegas. Pavel Dorofeyev, Kaeden Korczak, Braeden Bowman and Ivan Barbashev each had two assists, and Carter Hart had 21 saves to help the Golden Knights snap a three-game skid (0-2-1).

Macklin Celebrini and Colin Graf scored, and Tyler Toffoli had two assists for San Jose in its third straight loss. Yaroslav Askarov gave up four goals on 16 shots before he was pulled with 5:03 left in the first period. Alex Nedeljkovic had seven saves the rest of the way.

The Golden Knights had a season-high scoring output, topping the previous high of six reached three times in October.

The five-goal first tied the Golden Knights' franchise record for a period, accomplished four times previously. Vegas had 13 players record at least a point in the period, breaking the previous mark of 11 accomplished three times.

Howden scored on a 2-on-1 with Bowman to get Vegas on the scoreboard 1:46 into the game.

Marner made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 9:07 as his cross-ice pass for Dorofeyev deflected off Sharks center Alexander Wennberg and past Askarov.

Sissons scored with 8:23 remaining in the first on a 2-on-1 with Keegan Kolesar. Kolesar sent a backhand pass past sliding defenseman Mario Ferraro and off Askarov's left pad to Sissons for the tap-in on the right side.

Hertl converted from the inside edge of the right circle with 5:03 to go in the period for a four-goal lead, chasing Askarov. Stone put a backhander past Nedeljkovic from the left side with 1:26 remaining to cap the big opening period.

Celebrini got San Jose on the scoreboard at 6:49 of the second for the 19-year-old's 19th of the season.

Smith made it 6-1 with 1:10 remaining in the middle period, and Marner's second of the night made it a six-goal lead at 5:22 of the third.

Up next

Sharks: At Vancouver on Saturday.

Golden Knights: Host Colorado on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL