Sharks send Kings to fifth straight loss

San Jose, CA – Patrick Marleau had a goal and two assists as 2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Joe Thornton and Dan Boyle each had a goal and an assist while Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, who have won two of their last three and seven of nine. Antti Niemi made 29 saves in the win.

Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist while Jack Johnson also scored for the Kings, who have lost their past five games. Jonathan Quick allowed all four goals on 38 shots.

After a scoreless first period, the Kings opened the scoring at the 6:19 mark of the second on the power play when Johnson's slap shot from the right point beat Niemi.

The Sharks, though, tied the game at the 11:39 mark of the second on Thornton's fourth goal of the year, a backhand shot from a sharp angle at the right side, and took a 2-1 lead less than a minute later on Marleau's fourth goal, a redirect of a Boyle shot.

Skating on the power play, San Jose made it a 3-1 game at 17:02 of the second. Joe Pavelski received a pass at the left side of the net, but lost control of the puck. It came out to the high slot where Boyle blasted it home.

At the 6:40 point of the third, the Sharks took a 4-1 lead as a left point shot was deflected on net and Couture was there to backhand home the rebound for his sixth goal of the season.

The Kings got one back less than two minutes later on the power play as Kopitar skated down the right wing and blasted a shot on net that was stopped, but he followed up his own shot and buried his second chance.

A late penalty to San Jose along with Quick being pulled allowed LA to skate 6-on-4 for the final 1:22, but the team was unable to pull any closer.

Game Notes

San Jose hosts Minnesota on Thursday...The Kings host Nashville on Tuesday...These teams split the six-game series last season...LA was 2-for-6 on the power play while San Jose went 1-for-6.