Game 14: Sharks 4, Kings 2 (FINAL)

From high — very high — atop HP Pavilion, it’s a Pacific Division showdown between the Kings and San Jose Sharks. All the action is on Fox Sports West and on 1150-AM and affiliates, with all the game updates here as well…

THIRD PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick vs. Niemi.
Sharks 4, Kings 1: San Jose didn’t let up to start the third period, and took a 4-1 lead at the 6:40 mark. Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s shot was saved, but Logan Couture was left wide open in front the net and tucked the rebound into the net. Joe Thornton also got an assist.
Sharks 4, Kings 2: A power-play goal brought the Kings back to within two goals. Drew Doughty’s neutral-zone pass found Anze Kopitar, who skated in and took a medium-range shot. Niemi made the save, but the rebound kicked back to Kopitar, who scored on a wrist shot to make it a 4-2 game 8:28 into the third period. Quick also got an assist.
End of game: The Kings were outshot 38-31 and faced a season-high in shots on goal against. The Kings are now 0-3-2 in their last five games and 1-4-2 in their last seven, and have failed to score more than two regulation goals in 12 of 14 games this season.

SECOND PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick vs. Niemi.
Kings 1, Sharks 0: The Kings broke the scoreless tie with a 5-on-3 goal 6:19 into the second period. Mike Richards won the offensive-zone faceoff, and Anze Kopitar pushed the puck back to Drew Doughty, who made a pass across the blue line. Jack Johnson ripped a shot to the corner of the net that beat Niemi and gave the Kings a 1-0 lead.
Kings 1, Sharks 1: The Sharks tied the game with 8:21 remaining in the second period, just after the Kings killed a penalty. Joe Thornton held the puck and battled with Rob Scuderi to the side of the Kings’ net. Quick, who had gone down earlier, tried to hold the post with his pad an extended glove, but Thornton pushed the puck through anyway to make it a 1-1 game. Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski picked up assists.
Sharks 2, Kings 1: San Jose took the lead just 56 seconds after it tied the game. Dan Boyle carried the puck into the Kings’ zone and, with space just inside the blue line, pulled up. Boyle pushed the puck toward the net and Patrick Marleau skated through the slot, with Jack Johnson in chase, and Marleau’s deflection beat Quick to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead with 7:25 remaining in the period. Ryan Clowe also got an assist.
Sharks 3, Kings 1: A 5-on-3 goal pushed the Sharks’ lead to 3-1 with 2:58 remaining in the second period. After a scramble in front of the Kings’ net, the puck went out to Dan Boyle in the high slot. With Quick sitting on the ice, Boyle ripped a high shot into the net. Pavelski and Marleau got assists.
End of period: The Kings scored the period’s first goal, but then the Sharks dominated, as they scored three goals and outshot the Kings 21-8 in the period.

FIRST PERIOD
In goal: It’s the Kings’ Jonathan Quick against the Sharks’ Antti Niemi.
End of period: Both teams killed off an early penalty, then settled in for a scoreless but highly entertaining period, in which the Kings outshot the Sharks 14-7. Dustin Penner had a breakaway and a great chance later in the period, but Niemi made the stop on both with two strong plays. Dustin Brown also hit a post and, on the other end, the Kings survived a couple scrambles in front of Quick.