Yaroslav Askarov looks ready for regular season in Sharks’ exhibition finale

The San Jose Sharks have their regular season opener in less than a week and goalie Yaroslav Askarov looks ready for the occasion.

The Sharks were badly outshot right from the start Saturday but received an exceptional performance from Askarov to help earn a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in the preseason finale for both teams.

Macklin Celebrini, in his first game as the Sharks’ captain, had a goal and an assist and Dmitry Orlov, Mason Marchment and Michael Misa all scored as the Sharks finished the preseason with a 2-1-1 record.

With the game tied 2-2, Marchment and Misa both scored in similar fashion – off the rush with goals above Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart’s shoulder. Marchment broke the tie at the 9:47 mark with a shot from the left wing, and Misa, coming down the right side, snapped a shot past Hart with 5:06 left in regulation time.

San Jose, which still must make one or two moves to pare its roster down to 23 players by Monday afternoon’s deadline, opens the regular season on Thursday at home against the Florida Panthers.

Askarov looks like he’s ready to start that night.

Askarov, coming off a 22-save performance in his first preseason game on Tuesday at home against the Golden Knights, made 24 saves in the first two periods Saturday and finished with 28 stops.

Askarov also made nine saves while shorthanded as the Sharks went 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.

Tomas Hertl and Nic Dowd both scored for Vegas, and Hart finished with 13 saves.

The Sharks allowed 13 of the game’s 14 shots before Orlov’s power-play goal gave San Jose a 1-0 lead.

On the play, Orlov took a pass from new captain Macklin Celebrini at the blue line, had room to take a stride, then fired a shot past Hart, who was screened by Sharks center Alexander Wennberg.

Otherwise, the Sharks’ best player in the opening period was clearly Askarov, who made 13 saves in the first 20 minutes, including three on the penalty kill, with one spectacular blocker save on Golden Knights forward Trevor Connolly.

Askarov also made 22 saves in the Sharks’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday in San Jose.