Los Angeles Kings Trump San Jose Sharks 3-1

Saturday night the Los Angeles Kings returned to Staples Center and knocked off the San Jose Sharks 3-1.

The opening period was back and forth.  San Jose controlled the flow of the play early.  The Kings took some time to get back into the groove of play.

More from Editorials

• Kings vs. Oilers prediction and odds for NHL playoffs Game 2
• The LA Kings Goalie Controversy No One Saw Coming
• LA Kings’ Adrian Kempe is an Underrated Swedish Star
• Kings’ Stanley Cup odds are disrespectful
• Rink Royalty goes behind the scenes with Union and Blue for LAK-CBJ game

San Jose took advantage of the Kings holiday hangover.  2:39 into the game Justin Williams picked up a dump-in and brought the puck out from behind the Kings net.  Sharks star Joe Thornton forced Williams to turn the puck over near the hash-marks along the boards.  Thornton passed the puck to Joe Pavelski cutting into the slot.  Pavelski took a shot that hit Jake Muzzin and trickled past Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick.

Kings forward Tyler Toffoli turned the tide with nearly six-minutes left in the first period.

Toffoli took a high short-side shot from a sharp angle.  The shot went wide of the next, ringing around the boards out to Kings defensemen Brayden McNabb at the point.  McNabb made a great cross-ice pass right back to Toffoli who one-time snapped the shot into the wide-open net, past Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi.

December 27, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) and defenseman Drew Doughty (8) celebrate the 3-1 victory against the San Jose Sharks following the third period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

From that point on the game was all Kings.  L.A. took the momentum and controlled the flow of the game.  The Kings put the pressure on the Sharks, pushing the tempo and keeping San Jose focused on trying to prevent the Kings from scoring.

Halfway through the second period, after James Sheppard took a tripping penalty against Jamie McBain, the Kings offense was too much.

Jeff Carter brought the puck over the line into the Sharks zone on the power-play.  Carter hit Marian Gaborik as Gaborik was streaking into the slot.  Carter’s pass set up Gaborik on a short 2-on-1 situation with Anze Kopitar.  Gaborik elected to shoot the puck, skating in on top of the crease and putting a backhand shot off Niemi’s pad.  The rebound trickled over to Kopitar who swatted the puck over Niemi’s pad and glove.

The goal continued a five-game point streak for Gaborik, who has been on fire the last two weeks of 2014.

Three minutes into the third period it was San Jose’s Scott Hannan in the box for tripping Tanner Pearson.  Anze Kopitar had the puck down low in the Sharks zone.  Kopitar was pursued and threw a backhand pass out to Drew Doughty out at the point.  Doughty then winged a no-look pass across the blue line to Jake Muzzin.  Muzzin took the pass, wound up and ripped a slapshot past Niemi.

The Sharks pulled Niemi for an extra attacker at the end of the game, L.A. nearly scored three times, but shots went just wide, unable to find the open cage.

L.A. went 2-for-4 on the power-play, which has excelled the last two weeks scoring 9 power-play goals in the last five games.

The Kings next game is Monday in Calgary against the Flames.  It is the first game in a three-game road trip for the Kings.  Puck-drop is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PST.

December 27, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) and San Jose Sharks center Tommy Wingels (57) are separated by the official during the third period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports