LIVE Game Thread FINAL: Los Angeles Kings 8, San Jose Sharks 1

Game 73: The Los Angeles Kings (40-23-9) host the San Jose Sharks (20-43-9) to close out the season series with their Northern California rival.

The LA Kings will look to get back to their winning wins at Crypto.com Arena after losing to Toronto by a score of 3-1 on March 29th.  Grinder Jeff Mallot will make his third straight start in place of injured Tanner Jeannot. Currently in 2nd place in the Pacific Division, the Kings will be looking to go two points clear of the idle Edmonton Oilers. The Kings and Oilers appear to be headed to a fourth straight 1st round playoff confrontation. The only question that remains seems to be which squad with have home ice in this series.

San Jose has the worst record in the NHL but has had success against their California rivals, winning two out of the first three games in the season series. 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the month of March and 53 points in his rookie campaign after being selected 1st overall by San Jose in the 2024 NHL Draft. Georgi Romanov will make his second career NHL start in goal tonight for the Sharks. Former King Tyler Toffoli checks in with a team leading 27 goals on the year for San Jose.

Season Series:

Oct. 24--LA 3, SJ 2

Oct. 29--SJ 4, LA 2

Nov. 25--SJ 7, LA 2

Last Ten:

LA Kings: 7-3-0

San Jose Sharks: 4-6-0

Leading Scorers:

LA Kings-- Adrian Kempe, 29 goals, 58 points

SJ Sharks--William Eklund, 17 goals, 54 points

Probable Staring Goalies:

LA Kings--David Rittich, 14-13-2, 2.77 GAA, .888 SV%

SJ Sharks--Georgi Romanov, 0-1-0, 3.66 GAA, .874 SV%

1st Period:

Brandt Clarke with a shot from the point that is easily saved by Romanov.

Good right-pad save from Rittich to keep the game scoreless.

Kuzmenko forces Romanov to make a nice on his wrister from in tight.

Trevor Moore is taken down and LA will go on the power play early in the first.

5th worst power play in the NHL comes out to try to take the lead in this one.

Fiala with a lot of dangles but can't find the net.

LA turnover creates a shorthanded opportunity for the Sharks.

GOAL: Phil Danault scores just as the penalty expires for his 8th of the season. LAK 1-SJS 0. Assists to Quinton Byfield (26) and Trevor Moore (19)

BIG stop by Rittich on a walk-in attempt by Carl Grundstrom.

Quinton Byfield comes right back the other way but Romanov denies him. 

San Jose to go on the power play. LA's Drew Doughty goes off 2 minutes for slashing.

Now another LA King penalty. Phil Danault goes off two minutes for high-sticking. San Jose with now have a long 5 on 3 power play and an excellent chance to tie the game.

Celebrini steps into one and draws iron. 

HUGE kill by LA as San Jose squanders their 5 on 3 power play.

PENALTY PALOOZA continues. SJ penalty to Noah Gregor, two minutes for hooking.

BIG slapper from Doughty stopped by Romanov.

Sustained o-zone time by LA on this power play but still unable to convert.

GOAL: Adrian Kemp from the slot on a nice pass from Kopitar. "Juice" makes it 2-0 on his team leading 30th goal of the season.

END OF ONE

LA 2, SJ 0

The first period story comes down to special teams. LA kills off SJ's 5 on 3 opportunity and then goes on to score a power play goal of their own. 

Shots on goal:

LA 8

SJ 7

2nd Period:

Puck is down and the second period is underway in LA.

Quick counter by San Jose but Rittich makes the stick save.

Doughty with a point shot into traffic that doesn't get through onto Romanov.

Quinton Byfield gets tripped up in the neutral zone and LA will go on the power play for the third time. LA 1/2 on the power play on the night.

Kempe with a one-timer that goes wide.

LA with some good pressure on this power play.

Good sequence from the second power play unit but SJ kills off the penalty.

GOAL: San Jose kills the penalty and immediately makes it a 2-1 hockey game on a goal from Cam Lund, his second of the year. Proving correct again the timeless axiom from Barry Melrose: "A two goal lead is the worst lead in hockey".

GOAL: Trevor Moore takes a nice feed from Kopitar in the slot and beats Romanov down low for his 16th goal of the year. LA retakes a two-goal lead.

Kuzmenko springs Kempe on a nice breakout pass. Kempe draws a hooking penalty and LA will go back on the power play.

Good looks and possession from LA there but unable to beat Romanov.

LA to the power play again as Ferraro goes right back into the box for tripping. 

Good one-time attempt from Kempe turned away by Romanov.

GOAL:  Clarke gets a nice shot through from the point and Warren Foegele knocks in the rebound for a power play goal. Foegele's 21st goal of the year, a new career high.

Eklund walks out and gets a sharp turnaround shot on goal but Rittich turns it away.

Kempe on the rush fires one wide.

Fiala darts through center ice and gets a hard shot in on Romanov get the rookie makes the safe.

GOAL: Warren Foegele redirects a Mikey Anderson point shot five-hole for his 21st goal of the `season. 

GOAL: Adrian Kempe finishes off a BEAUTIFUL passing play starting by Andrei Kuzmenko for his 31st goal of the year. 

END OF TWO:

LAK 6

SJS 1

SOG

LAK 18

SJS 8

The Kings turned a close game into a route with some highlight reel passing plays and nice finishing touches. After scoring seven goals against both Carolina and Boston, LA now has six goals in this one with still 20 minutes remaining in this one.

What appeared to be a trap game for LA has turned into a romp.

3rd Period:

Kempe skates right up the middle in front of Romanov but he makes the save.

Big scrum as LA takes exception to a hit from behind on Lewis and the refs are sorting out who is going to the box.

Somehow San Jose ends up with a powerplay for some reason out of all that.

Sharks unable to get set up on the power play and LA kills off the man advantage.

Refs trying to figure out who should come out of the box, not a master class from the zebras tonight right now.

Things have been sorted out and both sides are now skating 5 on 5 with 12:36 remaining in the 3rd.

GOAL: Andrei Kuzmenko skates right through the middle of the ice and fires off a laser that beats Romanov.

GOAL: Trevor Lewis makes it 8-1, which is the most goals that LA has scored in one game all season.

Jeff Mallot with a breakaway but Romanov makes a tough glove save to deny his bid for a 1st NHL goal.

Eight LA skaters have multiple points on the evening, including Kopitar with three assists and Kuzmenko with a goal and two assists.

FINAL:

LAK 8

SJS 1

SOG

LAK 36

SJS 23

With the victory, LA takes sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division with 91 points. They improve their NHL best home record to 27-4-4. Their 27 wins on home ice is the most in franchise history.

THREE STARS:

1st Star: Andrei Kuzmenko, 1 G, 2 A

2nd Star: Andrian Kempe, 2 G

3rd Star: Warren Foegele, 2 G

Next up: Los Angeles Kings vs. Winnipeg Jets, April 1st, Crypto.com Arena, 7:30 PM Pacific.