In Los Angeles, 40 minutes of play in Game 6 ended with a stalemate after the Kings rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game with the San Jose Sharks at three all.
The problem for the Kings was the Sharks were hungrier, much more so in the third period when they scored three unanswered goals to win the series 4-1 and send the Kings to the off season.
Joonas Donskoi scored two goals including the game-winner with just under four minutes gone in the third period. He also scored the game’s first goal.
Chris Tierney and Matt Nieto added goals to help the Sharks build that 3-0 lead.
In the second, the Kings rode goals from Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Kris Versteeg to knot the game before heading to the third period.
Despite the rally, Sharks goalie Martin Jones stayed with his game and shut down the Kings in the third period; he made 19 saves on the night.
Jonathan Quick took the loss for LA in making 22 saves and was left unsupported for much of the first and third periods.
As is always needed in the playoffs, the Sharks blocked a total of 29 shots on the night in support of Jones.
Neither team was successful on the power play though the Sharks were whistled for only one penalty and the Kings gave up three power play chances to San Jose.
Joe Pavelski and Melker Karlsson scored in the third period to ice the win; Pavelski’s wrister was fanned on by Quick for the dagger that really ended the Kings’ chances.
Karlsson’s was an empty-netter with 22 seconds left in regulation.
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