The View from Santa Clara

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

David Pollak: Kings edge Sharks at Levi’s Stadium

“The win enabled Los Angeles to pull even with the Sharks in what for now is the race for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Kings, however, have three games in hand.”

Mark Purdy: Outdoor hockey a smashing success in San Jose

“The attendance was announced as 70,205 and it appeared to be a legitimate number, thereby creating the largest crowd ever to watch a hockey game west of the Mississippi River.”

Curtis Pashelka: Stadium Series: Sharks’ Joe Thornton won’t forget outdoor game experience

“Still, the experience was something that Couture, Thornton and the rest of the Sharks will never forget.”

CSNBAYAREA.COM

Kevin Kurz: Instant Replay: Sharks falter in Stadium Series vs. LA

“The Sharks officially lost their sixth straight home game (0-4-2), and are 3-6-2 in their last 11.”

Kevin Kurz: Rewind: Sharks suffer costly defeat outdoors to Kings

“The result sent a small town’s worth of people home disappointed, and leaves the Sharks with much slimmer odds of making the playoffs with just 21 games to go.”

Ray Ratto: Sharks sustain bad loss with playoff window closing

“In sum, they waited too long to start, didn’t get enough benefit from the part of the game they claimed as theirs, and paid for their waste by disappearing when it mattered most.”

NHL.COM

Dan Rosen: Kings hold off Sharks to win Stadium Series game

“The temperature was 57.4 degrees Fahrenheit when the game started at 7:16 p.m. PT. The tailgates going on outside of the stadium started hours before that under the sun on what was a picture-perfect Northern California day.”

Shawn Roarke: Kings’ Gaborik comes up with another clutch goal

“Not only did Gaborik’s goal, his third since Jan. 14, deliver a vital win against a fierce rival and extend the Kings’ win streak to seven games, but it put Los Angeles back in the Stanley Cup Playoff picture, where they have been missing for long stretches this season.”

ESPN.COM

Katie Strang: Have these Sharks changed at all?

“San Jose now has 21 games left — “42 points on the table,” as McLellan swiftly noted — to snag a postseason berth and position themselves for a run.”

PUCK DADDY

Greg Wyshynski: Sharks chew on playoff hopes after Stadium Series setback to Kings

“Did Niemi lose the puck? He said playing in the stadium had its challenges. “It was a little different. Especially the high ones, felt different. The lighting. The background,” said Niemi.”

SB Nation – FEAR THE FIN

jake.sundstrom: Sharks lose close game to the Kings outdoors

“Still, if the Sharks play the way they did tonight the rest of the season, they should be in okay shape to make the playoffs.”