SAN JOSE – Two power-play goals in a span of 87 seconds of the second period were enough to spark the San Jose Sharks past the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Thursday at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The Kings, the defending Stanley Cup champions, brought an 11-4 record in the past 15 games, including one five-game streak and three two-game winning streaks. The victory enabled San Jose to draw even with Los Angeles with 30 points in the Pacific Division.
The Western Conference features eight teams within a four-point bunch. Only Chicago and Anaheim have been able to create some space from the remainder of the pack. San Jose is tied for fifth in the conference after 26 games.
The Sharks begin a five-game road trip on Saturday against the Kings. Two days later, the Sharks take on Anaheim to complete a rare Southern California twin-bill. After playing in Edmonton and Minnesota, San Jose finishes the trek with another game in Anaheim.
Brent Burns was in San Jose’s starting lineup as a winger on Joe Thornton’s line.
Todd McLellan became San Jose’s all-time leader in wins by a head coach, netting his 207th to break a tie with Ron Wilson.
After being denied a goal by the right post on a shot from the low slot 6 minutes into action, Burns scored his second goal of the season at the 11:09 mark.
Patrick Marleau ignited the scoring play with a hard shot from the left point. Burns was in position to pull the long rebound toward the crease to Logan Couture. Couture’s shot created a rebound to Burns, who snapped the 10-footer into the open net past goaltender Jonathan Quick.
Los Angeles created a 16-6 edge in shots on net for the first 20 minutes.
San Jose went on a 4-minute power play after King Jake Muzzin earned minor penalties for instigating and fighting with a visor at the 5:59 mark in the second period. Andrew Desjardins had powered into Colin Fraser behind the Kings net, resulting in Muzzin challenging Desjardins in a fight.
Matt Irwin earned the hosts’ first power-play goal when he drilled a long shot over Quick’s shoulder at 7:07 for the 2-0 San Jose cushion. Scott Gomez set up the scoring strike with a long, cross-ice pass to an awaiting Irwin at the top of the left circle.
Couture pocketed his 11th goal of the season at the 8:34 mark of the second period with a one-timer from the high slot off a back-pass from Thornton. The shot led to Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter pulling Quick for Jonathan Bernier.
The Kings managed to get one goal back in the second period. Los Angeles took advantage of a hooking infraction to Shark Justin Braun to post a power-play goal by Dustin Brown at the 9:48 mark. Brown’s snapshot into the far right corner of the post past goaltender Antti Niemi came at the end of a crisp 3-on-2 rush.
San Jose needed 27 seconds of the third period to regain the three-goal lead. Burns was able to steal the puck from a Kings defenseman at the top of the Los Angeles zone, leading to a 2-0 rush toward Bernier by Burns and Couture. Burns slid the puck to Couture in the low slot for the line-drive into the open net for his 11th career multi-goal game.
The Kings came back with two goals and were able to pull Bernier for an extra skater for the final 1:03. Los Angeles made it 4-2 with 12:48 gone in the third when Brown lined a low shot under Niemi for his second goal of the night. Los Angeles made it a 4-3 final when Dwight King one-timed a rebound of a Rob Scuderi shot by Niemi at 16:40.
