LAS VEGAS — Brett Howden netted two goals, while Mark Stone contributed one goal and two assists, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a commanding 7-3 victory over the struggling San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.

William Karlsson returned to the lineup, making his season debut after missing the first eight games with an undisclosed injury, and added a goal along with an assist. The Golden Knights also saw scores from Tanner Pearson, Jack Eichel, and Pavel Dorofeyev, with goaltender Ilya Samsonov making 24 saves to secure the win.

In response, San Jose managed to score three times, with goals from Mikael Granlund, Nico Sturm, and Luke Kunin. Vitek Vanecek stood tall despite the loss, making 35 saves in goal.

**Key Takeaways**

For the San Jose Sharks, this game marked a historic low as they became the first team in NHL history to begin two consecutive seasons winless through their first nine games. According to Stathead, only ten teams have opened their seasons without a victory after ten contests, including last year’s Sharks squad, which did not claim its first win until their 12th game.

On the Vegas side, Tomas Hertl notably stepped onto the ice for the opening puck drop against the Sharks for the first time in his 12-year career. Hertl previously spent 11 seasons with San Jose before being traded last March and finished the game with two assists, extending his point streak to three games with a tally of three goals and four assists.

**Key Moment**

A pivotal moment came in the second period, when after Granlund scored to reduce the deficit to 3-1, Vanecek erred by racing out of his crease for the puck. Karlsson beat him to it and, after retrieving the puck, skated around before scoring, which gave the Knights back a three-goal advantage in the middle of the period.

**Key Stat**

With his second goal of the night, Howden became the 13th player on the Golden Knights roster to achieve a multi-point game this season, while Karlsson was the 12th player when he found the back of the net earlier in the game.

**Upcoming Matches**

Looking ahead, the Golden Knights will host the Calgary Flames on Monday, while the Sharks will take on an opponent in Utah.