Hill Blanks Kings 5-0, Hertl Scores a Pair

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Los Angeles Kings to SAP Center after topping the Kings in OT in LA on Thursday. Timo Meier, Matt Nieto, and Jonathan Dahlen gave the Sharks a 3-0 first period lead, Tomas Hertl added two more, and San Jose rolled Los Angeles 5-0.

Period 1

2 in: Really good pass from Vlasic to Gadjovich through forecheck along wall.

4 in: I’ve liked Dahlen’s pop so far. Good job getting his stick free in front against the admittedly green Spence, just his 2nd NHL game.

5 in: San Jose Sharks luck out there, off OZ faceoff, Kings win it and are off on a 3-on-1 rush. Shot goes high.

6 in: Andersson cuts hard to front, beats Vlasic?

Another power play goal for Timo Meier, he's scored 5 since his 5-goal game on 1/17, but no 5-on-5 goals

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 13, 2022

Nieto goal: Bonino takes advantage of the rookie Spence, takes it from him behind the net. Nieto bangs home the loose change.

6 left: Terrific off-glass pass by Hill to Hertl, who almost springs Couture.

5 left: Liked that shift from Reedy, good short under duress to Meier in NZ, then catches the hard rim in the OZ with confidence. Example of a rookie who grows from one call-up to another? It’s a good sign.

4 left: What a pad save by Hill on Byfield! This after Spence finds Brown in front, he’s gotten position on Karlsson (this, by the way, is why Boughner has never conceived of a Merkley-Karlsson pairing). Then Byfield charges down the slot but Hill is too quick. Tough save made to look easy.

1 in: Sharks rolling here — Couture forecheck gets Durzi to throw it away, Meier jumps on it, Dahlen waiting in the slot.

Bonino won all six of his faceoffs in this 1st period.

Dahlen has been jumping tonight, that goal was coming — his first goal since Jan. 29

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 13, 2022

#SJSharks come off ice to end the period to a huge round of applause — well-deserved and not a common thing in SAP Center this year, especially recently

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 13, 2022

Period 2

I didn't think it was a 3-0 game and SPORTLOGiQ/Natural Stat Trick agree: 5-5 Slot Shots, #SJSharks 5-4 High-Danger at 5v5. Sharks opportunistic and Hill made big saves

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 13, 2022

3 in: Kaliyev just heeled it all by himself — that kind of night for LA.

5 in: Solid bend-don’t-break D by Sharks there, looks like Vlasic or Balcers got to the pass to Spence.

Hertl goal: Brilliant work by both Karlsson and Burns to pull 3 penalty killers toward them, that gives Meier all day to walk down Santa Clara.

10 in: Dahlen tripped behind net but doesn’t linger, hustles to point to get puck out. Gotta love that.

7 left: Another mark of just pure talent/size: Anderson-Dolan has the puck for a couple beats by himself in front of Hill, but Hill, squared up, is so big, JAD doesn’t even try a shot.

It’s the San Jose Sharks’ night, but no way they’re counting that Viel goal lol.

1 left: Smart retreat by Burns on 50-50 puck skittering up wall. I’ve seen him, in his prime, make riskier pinches. That is the more cautious Brent Burns that we’ve been seeing last couple of years. It was the right play.

Period 3

Karlsson wincing on bench, he blocked a shot with his right arm — remaining on the bench though

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 13, 2022

8 in: Good job by Megna to block the 2-on-1 pass.

Hertl goal: Clever move by Barabanov to stop up, go back against grain, when it looked like he was going to the other side of the net. Burns doesn’t get an assist, but it’s his heavy, well-placed shot that causes the chaos.