Sharks lead series against the Kings

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks entered game three tied at one game each for the Western Conference quarterfinal-round series .   Tonight’s g ame resulted in several of the Sharks top scorers from the regular season, including Ryane Clowe, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Devon Setoguchi finally notching goals to contribute to the overtime win over the Kings, with a final score of 6-5 at Staples Center.
 
The Kings owned the first period, with goals by Willie Mitchell at 2:26 followed only 13 seconds later by a goal from Kyle Clifford, to put them on the board with two goals right away.   A third goal by Michal Handzus at 18:22 and the hosts suddenly held a 3-0 lead over the Sharks.   The Sharks were held to a measly seven shots on goal, while Antti Niemi knocked away only six of nine shots faced.
 
As the teams returned to the ice for the second period, the Kings’ Brad Richardson shot the puck past Niemi only 44 seconds into the period, resulting in his replacement by Antero Nittymaki in the net for the Sharks. The change in Sharks goaltending seemed to be the change they needed, as they methodically worked their way back into the game with three successive goals. Marleau tipped in a goal at 3:08 followed by a power play goal from Clowe at 6:53, resulting in each player’s first goals of the post-season.   Logan Couture closed the gap to 4-3 with a slap shot goal at 13:32 only to be widened again by Kings’ Ryan Smith 15 seconds later.
 
Clowe and Pavelski would each score a goal before the end of the second, to result in a combined seven goals for the period and tie the game at 5-5 as they headed off the ice to the second intermission.   The Sharks outshot LA during the second period 18-8; as they finally found a way to solve Jonathan Quick in the net.
 
In the third period, despite several goal scoring opportunities by both teams, the score was unchanged, forcing sudden death overtime for the second time in three games.  
 
The Sharks took game one with a final score of 3-2 at 14:44 into the overtime period.   LA came back to shut out the Sharks in game two, four to zip.
 
This game resulted in only the fourth game in NHL playoff history that a team returned from a four to zero deficit to win the game, as Setoguchi was set up by Marleau to score the game winning overtime goal at 3:09 into the overtime period.
 
The Sharks lead the series 2-1.   Game four is scheduled for Thursday, April 21 at Staples Center.
  Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com