Kings vs Sharks Game 4: Staying Alive

It ain’t over yet! The Kings battled it out again at Staples Center and kept elimination at bay, beating the Sharks 6-3. Though they were dominant on the scoreboard, the Kings still didn’t win the advanced stats game. A couple of lucky bounces late in the second period gave them an edge.

Lucky bounces? For the LA Kings? It’s madness!!

Marian Gaborik opened the scoring in the first period, but late pressure from the Sharks saw them tie the game with seven seconds left. In the second period, Justin Williams showed up like it was a game seven and netted a power play goal. Goaltender Jonathan Quick gave a bad rebound a few minutes later, allowing Matt Nieto to tie the score yet again. No worries, though, because Williams wasn’t done! The puck bounced off the glass behind Niemi with just under four minutes left in the period, and he batted in perfectly, reminiscent of his baseball goal versus the Colorado Avalanche back in December.

 
Birthday boy Tyler Toffoli converted on another opportune bounce a minute before the period ended. 4-2! Joy! A beauty from Marian Gaborik early in the third period ended goaltender Antti Niemi’s night. Then Justin Williams should’ve had a hat trick, but a patented Jarret Stoll offensive zone penalty ruined everything. #DammitStoll! (Take a shot!)

It didn’t help that the Kings scored on the Sharks’ subsequent power play, bringing them within two. Quick managed to hold on for the rest of the period. Sharks players got increasingly agitated and spent the last four minutes trying to beat the Kings up. It didn’t work. Pulling the goaltender also didn’t work, because Toffoli set up captain Dustin Brown for an empty netter.

Sharks responded to this with punches. They kept trying to go even as the game ended, Brent Burns dancing with Robyn Regehr as playoff win streamers fell.

Play your favorite slow jam and watch this on a loop all night!