| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Meetings total | 38 |
| All-time series | 31-2-0-5 (VGK)[1] |
| Regular season series | Golden Knights, 15-14 |
| Postseason results | Golden Knights, 7-6 |
| Current win streak | Golden Knights, 3 |
| Postseason history | |
| 2018 Second Round: Golden Knights won, 4-2 2019 Second Round: Sharks won, 4-3 | |
The Golden Knights–Sharks rivalry started during the 2017–18 season in which Vegas began playing. Both teams met in the playoffs in the 2018 Western Conference second round after both teams swept their opponents in the first round, which Vegas won in six games. During the 2018–19 NHL season, the rivalry became intense. With both teams set to play each other in the first round of the playoffs, the two teams met in a regular season game prior to the playoffs. The game decided home-ice advantage during that first round match up for which the Sharks won in overtime. In the 2019 Western Conference first round, the Golden Knights took a 3–1 series lead. Game three saw Golden Knights enforcer Ryan Reaves call out Sharks forward Evander Kane after the two fought each other. After a victorious game five at home, the Sharks forced a seventh game with Tomas Hertl's double overtime goal. Prior to game seven, both head coaches took shots at each other with Sharks coach Peter DeBoer calling out Gerard Gallant for chirping at players while Gallant responded by saying, "For that clown to say that in the paper yesterday is not right." In game seven, the Knights took a 3–0 lead in the third period, however, Vegas forward Cody Eakin was given a questionable and controversial major penalty for cross-checking which injured Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, (later forcing the NHL to introduce a new rule, effective the following season, to review all major penalties except for fighting from a monitor in a scorer's table; officials will reserve authority to reduce the penalty to a minor penalty depending on the result of the review). San Jose scored four goals in 4:01 on the ensuing power play to take the lead late, but with 47.0 seconds left, the Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault tied it up to send the game into overtime. In overtime, Sharks forward Barclay Goodrow completed the comeback, ending the
Players from both clubs battle it out in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
season and propelling the Sharks into a second round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. In a pre-season game between the two teams on September 29, 2019, multiple fights broke out, including two line brawls. The teams accumulated a total of 106 penalty minutes between them, with Sharks forward Evander Kane alone accumulating 27. Multiple game misconducts were given out and Kane was ejected for abuse of officials, being later given a three-game suspension.
On January 15, 2020, Peter DeBoer was hired as the head coach of the Golden Knights after being fired by the Sharks on December 11, 2019, replacing Gerard Gallant, who was fired the same day.
As of the end of the 2023–24 season, Vegas leads the regular season record 24–2–0–5 with a 7–6 playoff record.