Postgame Notes #37: Sharks Over .500, Top Kings 3-2

LOS ANGELES, Calif. —

Period 1

Another early San Jose Sharks goal: Started by Karlsson taking puck off Brown, then filtering it through Strand in NZ along wall. Good quiet work by Karlsson there.

Looks like Knyzhov has to see Brown coming down backdoor, slow on switch with Couture. Rook is slow, tied game. Was just going to say, Knyzhov had done nice job recovering on Kopitar about to break free for breakaway.

8 minutes in: Another LA odd-man. Here, I think Simek plays wrong man, Lizotte coming up with puck instead of speed from behind, Grundstrom. That forces Vlasic to move over on Grundstrom, leaves slot open. San Jose has been too loose so far.

#GoKingsGo 9-2 shot edge seems accurate. Just like Knyzhov on Brown goal, #SJSharks seem a step slow to their man so far tonight

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2021

6 minutes left: Couture line restores some order though. Couture takes puck off Kopitar on forecheck, finds Kane in slot.

3 minutes left: Ferraro does good job getting in front of Iafallo on PK puck battle, clear.

Out of box, Hertl 2-on-1 with Sorensen…and he passes? Well-played by Doughty to intercept pass, but for a San Jose Sharks team that badly needs energy, that ain’t it.

Best thing I can say about that #SJSharks 1st period effort is it's tied: FWIW though, while #GoKingsGo dominating shot counter, it's not as lopsided elsewhere at 5v5. LAK 9-5 Scoring Chances, 5-4 High-Danger

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2021

Period 2

Minute in, Burns with a couple good sticks/puck battle wins. San Jose definitely needs more of that. Next shift, Karlsson sorts out LA rush, gets stick on pass to Kempe.

San Jose’s fourth line is NOT having a night. Next shift though, Hertl line does better job of getting in on forecheck. They’re not sailing through NZ like last game, they need to win on FC.

Behind Jones, Karlsson shakes Kopitar like Kopi is a split end.

6 minutes in: Donato puts on his boots, good work on forecheck. Followed by strong work by Viel and company, good chances.

Good penalty by Burns: I think that’s more on Ferraro. Burns is watching Brown on his side, Ferraro should be with Kopitar. Ferraro might have misjudged Kopitar’s speed. Anyway, Burns looks bad there, but he’s forced to cover for his partner.

Nice little bump pass up by Viel to get Leonard 2-on-1 going.

6 minutes left: Gorgeous entry by Hertl.

WHAT A PASS BY COUTURE

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2021

Forechecking credit to Labanc and Kane on that goal: Also, Kane beats Anderson to the front to convert.

That’s a different kind of bad goal for Jones to give up. He just didn’t know it was there in front of him.

Fair’s fair: LA dominated first, tied game to show for it, while San Jose dominated 2nd, tied game to show for it. Per Natural Stat Trick, SJS 10-4 Scoring Chances, 5-2 High-Danger in middle frame.

This is Vlasic's last shift. Odd: Nothing looks amiss, he goes over boards & into locker room at end of 1st period, looking none worse for wear. But never played a shift in 2nd and when I looked on bench, he wasn't there pic.twitter.com/9TLGeFMfFG

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2021

Period 3

Just four shots between both teams midway through period: A couple there by San Jose Sharks’ fourth line. Good, aggressive pinch by Ferraro helped on FC.

That’s a pretty set-up for Karlsson, blocked, initiated by Balcers’s self-pass into zone. Good little play there by entire line.

9 minutes left: Gambrell, a good centerman, LA breaking out from 200 feet away, he wants to change, makes a couple head swivels to make sure.

7 minutes left: Karlsson anticipates pass to Kopitar, gets up on rush but runs into Kane.

3 minutes left: Karlsson gets in front of Brown to 50-50. Insistent defense. Then Knyzhov almost gets a breakaway? You see his speed there.

San Jose Sharks bench loved that shot block in dying seconds by Couture.

#SJSharks over .500 for the first time since opening night AND Martin Jones’s Save % is over .900 (.905)

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 4, 2021