Los Angeles Kings Handed Defeat by San Jose Sharks 3-2

The San Jose Sharks got their revenge over the Los Angeles Kings with a 3-2 win. This was the 5th and final meeting of the season between these two squads.

The Sharks won the first two matches, but then the Kings had won the two most recent games. This win gives the Sharks the regular season series win between the two clubs.

This was the final contest of a 7 game homestand for Los Angeles. The Kings will now embark on a stretch in which they’ll play 9 of their next 10 on the road.

Darryl Sutter came into this game tied for 12th place in regular season wins with Jacques Lemaire. To move up those rankings against a former team he coached would have been rewarding, but the Kings couldn’t pull this one out.

The scratches for Los Angeles were Tom Gilbert, Andy Andreoff, and Matt Greene.  Logan Couture sat out this game for the Sharks with an illness. Tim Heed and Barclay Goodrow were the other San Jose scratches.

The first goal of the game came 3:31 into the 1st period, when Brent Burns netted his 19th goal of the year on assists from Melker Karlsson and Joe Thornton.

The Kings responded quickly, though, as Tanner Pearson deflected in the game tying goal. Derek Forbort and Dustin Brown got the assists at 5:46.

Marian Gaborik was sent to the penalty box for hooking Burns at 6:41. The Sharks couldn’t get any shots on goal during the power play.

Soon after that penalty was killed off, the Kings got their own power play opportunity when Justin Braun got called for holding Nic Dowd at 9:42. The Kings also failed to get any shots on goal during this man advantage.

More from Kings News

• LA Kings goaltending could be better than expected in 2023-24
• LA Kings should consider taking a chance on these 2 free agents
• 2 forwards listed as “movable pieces” by the Los Angeles Kings
• Checking in on the LA Kings players in the IIHF World Championship
• Los Angeles Kings: List of 2023 Restricted Free Agents Part. 1

San Jose retook the lead on a perfectly executed 2-on-1 break. Michael Haley delivered a terrific pass to Tommy Wingels and he proceeded to bury it in the back of the net at 15:42.

Off a faceoff, Ryan Carpenter was called for interference on Dustin Brown at 3:10 into the 2nd period. Once again, the Kings didn’t get any shots on goal during the power play.

At 9:51, Jeff Carter went to the box for high-sticking Timo Meier. On the ensuing power play, Joe Pavelski got a goal on a deflection off the back boards. Joel Ward and Thornton got the assists.

Wingels went to the box at 10:48 for tripping Dowd after some skate-on-skate contact. The Sharks had a couple shorthanded opportunities to further extend the lead, but Peter Budaj made some nice saves.

A couple penalties were given out at 13:06. Trevor Lewis was given a double minor for high sticking Karlsson, while Karlsson was in turn given a 2-minute minor for holding Lewis.

Gaborik capitalized on some traffic in front of the net, cutting the lead in half at 15:19. Brown and Kyle Clifford got the assists.

Some 4-on-4 commenced when Clifford and Haley were each called for delay of game at 15:36. The Sharks had a chance on a counter attack initiated by Patrick Marleau and Mikkel Boedker, but Budaj turned them away.

Devin Setoguchi was called for hooking Brenden Dillon at 17:56. During that power play, Marleau was called for illegal check to the head on Dwight King at 19:35. The contact looked inadvertent, but it cost the Sharks a full power play opportunity.

Through the first two periods, the Kings had committed 9 giveaways, while the Sharks only committed 3 giveaways. The Kings had a chance to tie the game up early in the 3rd period, as their power play carried over into the beginning of the crucial final period. The Kings couldn’t find that equalizer, though.

The 3rd period did feature some big chances at the beginning. Haley had an opportunity for his first goal of the year, but hit the post. In the other zone, Martin Jones made a gigantic pad save moving to his right to maintain the lead for the Sharks.

Boedker had a breakaway later in the period, but missed the net on what likely would have all but sealed the victory for San Jose had he converted.

The game remained within reach for the Kings, and Budaj was pulled for an extra attacker with about a minute left in the game. The last second push couldn’t tie the game, though, and the Sharks escaped Southern California with a win.

The Sharks outshot the Kings 27-24. The Kings also committed 10 giveaways while the Sharks only committed 5. The Kings went 0 of 4 on the power play, while the Sharks went 1 of 4 on the man advantage.

Next: Los Angeles Kings Ready For Darryl Sutter Milestone

The Kings will begin their grueling road trip on January 21 against the New York Islanders. The Sharks will next play January 19 at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning.