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 After two rookies helped the Sharks forge a third-period tie, one
of the team's trusted veterans pushed the Kings to the point of
elimination.
Winger Patrick Marleau scored at 6:20 of overtime and goaltender
Antti Niemi made 28 saves as the Sharks defeated the Kings 4-3 on
Tuesday night.
Marleau took possession off a turnover and backhanded a shot toward
the Los Angeles net that deflected off Kings defenseman Slava
Voynov's stick and past Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick. The win
gave the Sharks a commanding 3-0 series lead with a possible Game 4
clincher in Los Angeles on Thursday.
"The Kings played well. It was their best game this series," Sharks
center Logan Couture said. "We matched them goal for goal, and then
we got a good goal from Patty at the end there."
With Couture and Joe Pavelski kept off the scoresheet, wingers Tomas
Hertl and Matt Nieto stepped up and kept the Sharks in the game
against a desperate Los Angeles team.
"Nieto gives us speed and Hertl gives us tenacity around the net,"
Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "We really do not consider them
rookies at this point of the season."
In a series that was thought to be a toss-up, San Jose found
different ways to win the first three games of the series. Its
explosive offense was featured in Games 1 and 2 in San Jose and
Tuesday night a grinding third period that saw it outshoot Los
Angeles 23-8 eventually wore down the Kings.
"I mean, there were times in the first two game where we had
momentum," Quick said. "We just need to keep working and win a game.
It doesn't matter yet, up three or down three."
Though the Kings got two power play goals and the first goal of the
series by winger Marian Gaborik, their inability to hold the lead in
the third period was the deciding factor. They took three minor
penalties with one indirectly leading to the tying goal.
"There were times in the first two game where we had momentum,"
Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "We just need to keep working and
win a game, It doesn't matter yet, up three or down three."
With the score tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, winger Jeff Carter gave
the Kings the lead 51 seconds into the third period with his first
goal of the series on the power play. Center Anze Kopitar took a
wrist shot from the right boards and Carter was positioned to the
left of Niemi to deflect the puck home.
The Sharks forged the third tie of the game when winger Tomas Hertl
converted his own rebound at 9:17 as a penalty to Kings defenseman
Alec Martinez was expiring to set the stage for overtime. Hertl's
second goal of the series was assisted by winger Tommy Wingels and
defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
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San Jose opened the scoring at 3:16 of the first period on a
power-play goal by winger Brent Burns. Center Joe Thornton fed Burns
and his wrist shot from 42 feet deflected off Kings winger Trevor
Lewis past Quick for his second goal of the series with defenseman
Dan Boyle drawing the secondary assist.
The Kings evened the score with a power-play goal of their own at
4:48 of the second period. Center Jarret Stoll converted a cross-ice
pass from winger Tyler Toffoli for his first goal of the series with
defenseman Drew Doughty drawing an assist.
The Kings took their first lead of the game on Gaborik's first goal
of the playoffs at 7:59 of the second period. Gaborik took
possession in the Kings defensive zone and went end to end to finish
a three-on-two rush.
The Sharks rallied to tie the score just 1:18 later on rookie winger
Matt Nieto's first goal of the series. Nieto was positioned in the
slot to deflect a shot by defenseman Jason Demers at 9:17, with
Marleau drawing the secondary assist.
NOTES: Sharks LW Patrick Marleau was announced as one of the
finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy along with Rangers RW
Martin St. Louis and Avalanche C Ryan O'Reilly. The Byng is awarded
to the player who is "adjudged to have exhibited the best type of
sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard
of playing ability." The winner will be named at the NHL Awards in
Las Vegas on June 24. ... San Jose scratched RW Marty Havlat, RW
Adam Burish, C Bracken Kearns, D Mirco Mueller, RW Matt Pelech, D
Matt Irwin, C Ttavis Oleksuk, D Dylan Demelo, C Freddie Hamilton, RW
Eriah Hayes, D Taylor Doherty, D Matt Tennyson, C Tyler Kennedy, G
Troy Grosenick and G Harri Sateri. ... Marleau and C Joe Thornton
reached 100 career postseason points. ... The Kings recalled C Colin
Fraser from their Manchester AHL affiliate. ... Los Angeles did not
dress D Matt Greene, LW Kyle Clifford and C Colin Fraser. ... The
Kings are 2-10 all time when trailing 0-2 in a postseason series.
They executed comebacks against Detroit in 2001 and St. Louis in
2013.
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