The Los Angeles Kings (10-6-5) travel to Northern California to take on Pacific Division rival San Jose Sharks (10-8-3) at home at SAP Center. The visit is the penultimate stop on the Kings’ final November round trip before heading to Anaheim next week.
It was a special night in San Jose as the Sharks honored former star and captain Joe Thornton with his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A ceremony was held for the beloved veteran and a tribute was paid to him on a huge big screen as his family watched his special achievement with him. Thornton was originally set to retire in October 2023; however, tonight he was celebrated for his recent induction.
On the ice, Jaroslav Askarov was guarding his home court while Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg skated in his crease, preparing for a shot. Tonight promises to be a fierce and competitive division showdown.
There’s a shark on the boat
The first period was something of an explosion. From the moment the puck hit the ice, the Sharks
As they scrambled to be first on board, they were “bitten off.” Fortunately, the first goal of the night was scored by Sharks center Adam Gaudette 2 minutes and 33 seconds into the game. The wrist shot surprised netminder Forsberg and gave the Kings an early lead.
The Kings looked anxious and frustrated as they tried to fight back and tie the game. Until the last 3 minutes and 56 seconds of the game, Joel Armia scored a goal while short-handed, tying the score at 1-1. Los Angeles’ good luck didn’t last long as the Sharks struck back with 10 seconds left. Ty Dellandrea’s shot deflected past Forsberg and both teams went into halftime with San Jose up by one.
Kings fight back
Back for more, the second quarter started with aggression and dominance from the Sharks and Kings, who gave it their all. The Kings tried to sneak a few shots into Askarov’s net, but alas, the Russian netminder stood tall like a brick wall. Until Kings captain Anze Kopitar won the confrontation with De Ladria and successfully scored with a backhand at 18 minutes and 13 seconds.
The Kings, hungry for more, kept firing, with subsequent shots from Kopitar, Warren Vogler and Alex Laferrière all finding their way to the net, but the 6-foot-3 goaltender stopped the chances each time. The pressure proved too much for the Kings, however, when forward Philipp Kurashev’s wrist shot went past Forsberg with 2:56 remaining. The game continued with the Sharks leading 3-2.
Sharks lead again by one point
As the final 20 games came to an end, the two opponents remained scrappy and fought for every inch of the ice. San Jose’s Mario Ferraro and Kings’ Alex Turcotte both received minor two-minute penalties for rough conduct following heated exchanges. Other than checking and roughing out, not much action happens until the very last moment. Adrian Kempe eventually tied the game and sent the Kings into overtime, while Sharks fans booed a potential regular-season win. Overtime passed without a winning goal, and under the pressure of a penalty shootout, two points were at stake.
OT…no, let’s go to a shootout
After a hard-fought battle, the Kings eventually lost 4-3 in the penalty shootout. The final result was difficult for Los Angeles. Below are the detailed results of the penalty shootout.
SJS: Philip Kurashev ✔
LAK: Trevor Moore✘
SJS: MacLean Celebrini ✘
LAK: Adrian Kempe ✘
SJS: Will Smith✘
LAK: Corey Perry ✘
