The winning goal in what would become a 4-3 victory by the Sharks in a Game 1 that had all sorts of insane twists and turns, plus plenty of vicious contact that followers of the two teams have come to expect when they show up at Staples Center here or SAP Center in San Jose. These numbers aren’t indictments of either player’s talent level, but do tell some of the story as the Sharks were outshot in both games in Los Angeles. Thornton’s defensive awareness has been on full display through two games, thwarting many a Kings’ offensive attempt. Pavelski has scored six goals in six games against the Kings since the start of 2015-16.2. They were 28-0-2 when entering the third period ahead on the scoreboard.
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“Tonight’s game was a lot of fun”, Pavelski said. It means there’s still a lot of work to do. The two teams square off again in game three at 7:30 p.m. April 18.
Despite the numbers, DeBoer says the inexplicable trend is not as bad as it looks on paper. “It’s always a key to play with the lead, especially against LA”. Five hours from gametime, neither team has confirmed a starter, and you have to wonder if they’re being media-shy or if they’re really debating who to start. “For us to get the first goal really got us in the game”.
The San Jose Sharks captain has three goals in the last four periods and at this rate the Kings might not have many periods left.
Pavelski scored his third goal of the series, gathering a pass from Brent Burns and smoking a shot over the shoulder of Quick for a 1-0 edge at 3:37 of the first period. For four seasons, even one where they missed the playoffs, Darryl Suter’s team has thrived off the belief that it can overcome any deficit, whether in a game or a series.
“They’re doing their part and we’re not doing our part”, Kings center Anze Kopitar said, referring to the Sharks. “That’s what this team does”. That was enough offense to beat the Kings, who went almost 78 minutes between goals. Jones is facing his former team in his first Stanley Cup playoff series, and he stopped 21 shots against in his first win. “We played a good road game, good enough to win”. “It gives you a little confidence to come in and handle it (in the playoffs)”, Pavelski.
The San Jose Sharks set a franchise record when posting the best road record in the National Hockey League during the regular season, and they continued their success away from home in their playoff opener. They are the guys who get unlucky and have a puck deflect in off a skate or a stick… and still get ripped.
“I didn’t know it went in, to be honest with you”, Pavelski said. We have to improve and get better to match that…. The Slovak scorer had a phenomenal postseason in 2014, contributing 14 goals on the way to his first Stanley Cup title.
“We have to find the lanes or create a lane, whether it’s the defensemen or us forwards”, said Gaborik. “I think everybody knows that, no matter where we’re at”.
“We’ve got to have to have another story line here, don’t we?” he said with a half-kidding, half-serious tone. Because of all those heartbreaks, we sometimes forget that since 2004, the Sharks have actually won more playoff games than they have lost (59-55). “But I think we can do that, hopefully at the end if the series we’re standing”. “We don’t want to go to San Jose down 2-0 or else we’ll be in trouble”.
For the second straight game, the Kings had their opportunities to score, and defensively, made some crucial saves in front of the net that could have given San Jose an even larger lead.
Gaborik played 20 shifts in just under 15 minutes of ice time in his return from a sprained right knee and reported that he felt “better and better” as the game progressed Saturday.
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“Every single play, every single battle, every moment of the series is going to be tough”, Jones said.
