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Penalty-killing mistakes costly in Knights’ first defeat

SAN JOSE, Calif. — T.J. Tynan drove hard to the net on the second shift of the game Thursday but was unable to convert a 2-on-1 with linemate Keegan Kolesar.

Then, the Golden Knights’ offense stalled for the first time in the preseason.

After producing 13 goals in their first two games, the Knights failed to generate many high-grade scoring opportunities until the third period and suffered a 5-2 loss to the Sharks at SAP Center in front of an announced crowd of 15,070.

“They’re a quick team, and they worked hard,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “I just think they won the footraces to loose pucks, and they were a little quicker than we were tonight.”

David Perron and Teemu Pulkkinen had power-play goals 1:13 apart in the third for the Knights, but Tomas Hertl banged a rebound past Calvin Pickard at 7:33 of the period to put the Sharks up 5-2.

Calvin Pickard, making his preseason debut in net for the Knights, finished with 29 saves.

Tynan redirected a pass from Kolesar that was stopped by Sharks goalie Martin Jones less than 2 minutes into the first period.

But the Knights (2-1) didn’t manage another shot until Pulkkinen’s slapper from the left wing with a little more than 4 minutes left in the first period.

San Jose outshot the Knights 9-2 in the first period and 34-17 for the game.

The Knights escaped the first period without any damage but gave up four goals — three on the power play — in the second.

“I thought what really hurt us was we made three mistakes on our (penalty kill), and that’s what cost us the goals,” Gallant said.

After Perron was stopped on a partial breakaway, Kevin Labanc beat Pickard high to the glove side on the ensuing rush for a 1-0 Sharks advantage.

Joe Pavelski and Jannik Hansen added power-play goals for the Sharks (2-0), and Brenden Dillon’s wrister from the blue line put San Jose up 4-0.

San Jose finished 3-for-6 on the power play.

The Knights continue the preseason Sunday when they travel to Anaheim for a 5 p.m. game.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.

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