What looked to be a comfortable 3-0 lead for San Jose almost turned into a nightmare for the Sharks after a three-goal second period for the Kings. However, despite blowing that three-goal lead, the Sharks were able to exorcise their playoff demons against the Kings and eliminate their southern California rivals by a score of 6-3.
Sharks vs. Kings, 2016 NHL playoff results: San Jose overcomes blown lead to eliminate Los Angeles
A 6-3 victory for the Sharks has the Kings headed out of round one.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Kings, despite the furious comeback, end their playoff run by falling to the Sharks in the first round 4-1.
Martin Jones, former goaltender for Los Angeles, bested his old team by making 19 saves in the victory.
San Jose got the ball rolling just over a minute into the game. Joonas Donskoi gained space in the offensive zone with a toe drag to get past the stick of a Kings defender, then was able to beat Jonathan Quick with a screen in front for the 1-0 lead.
Chris Tierney was able to double the Sharks lead in almost exactly the same spot as Donskoi. San Jose caught Los Angeles on a change and Tierney was given all the time and space in the world to fire a wrist shot past Quick to make it 2-0 midway through the first.
Matt Nieto opened the scoring for the Sharks five minutes into the second. The stuff attempt got Quick through the five-hole as San Jose put themselves ahead 3-0.
However, it would all come crumbling down after Patrick Marleau missed a penalty shot in the second period that flipped the switch for the Kings.
Anze Kopitar deflected home Drew Doughty's point shot that got the Kings on the board at 7:44 of the second. It was a double deflection that beat Martin Jones, as the puck hit off Milan Lucic in front then Kopitar's leg for the 3-1 score.
Less than four minutes later, a puck found Jeff Carter all alone in front of the net as he made the Sharks defense pay on some crafty stickhandling that made it 3-2. The comeback was complete on Kris Versteeg's rebound after Kyle Clifford's blast hit off the post right and landed right in front for a quick forehand shot to tie the game at 3-3 all.
Donskoi's second of the game -- and second of his postseason career -- was his biggest. Made by Brent Burns' no-look backhand, the puck found its way to the rookie's stick after a strong zone entry from the Sharks kept the puck down low. Donskoi was in the right place at the side of the cage for the tap in 4-3 tie breaker four minutes into the third period.
Joe Pavelski’s fly by five-hole goal that made it 5-3 for the Sharks with six minutes left was the backbreaker for the Kings and any potential second comeback. An empty net goal with 22 seconds to go put the game away for the Sharks 6-3.
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