Sharks at Kings: Playing a Cool Passing Game

This wasn’t the game I was expecting, but I like this version a lot better. It had a little bit of everything (except for Trevor Lewis scoring) and was exciting as all get out.

The first period was a scoreless one (surprise, surprise), but that doesn’t mean that it was without some drama. Late in the period, Dustin Brown collides with Hertl knee-on-knee, and this is where the trouble begins. Brown has had some dirty knee action in the past, so with the speed of the game, he really isn’t going to get the benefit of the doubt. After some confusion as to what the penalty is going to be, Brown is handed a 5-minute major for kneeing which comes with an automatic game misconduct, and that’s it for Brown.

Darryl Sutter is Not Pleased. Or, that’s what I think that hand motion means at least.

Hertl never returns to the game, and looks to be out for a month for knee surgery. Burns gets a 2 minute minor during this little kerfuffle, so when all is said and done, the Kings end up starting the second period a man down for about 3 minutes.

It doesn’t seem to deter the Kings too much as Jones and the Kings’ D comes up big and kills off the Sharks’ attempts during their power play. Good old Tyler Toffoli works the puck behind the net and delivers a smooth no-look behind the back pass to Alec Martinez who just knuckles it in to put the Kings on the board.

Why yes, that IS Martinez’s 2nd goal in 3 games.

During the goal hugs, I see Trevor Lewis float into view, but while he was on the ice, he of course had nothing to do with anything. Sigh.

After that spectacular pass to assist in Martinez’s goal, Tyler Toffoli remembers that he’s actually a goal scorer and accepts a sweet pass himself to get the Kings another. Jones handles the puck behind the net and tosses it over to Voynov who just LAUNCHES it the length of the ice right towards Toffoli striding into the zone. After taking a moment to settle and corral the puck, he snaps it off the post and into the net.

Everyone is half hovering over their seat, anticipating this goal.

After the game, when asked about his goal, Toffoli mentioned that he and Lewie were hustling towards the puck, and let us all thank the hockey gods that it was Toffoli who got there first. To make matters worse (better?) who gets the secondary assist but Martin “I Can Do It All” Jones.

Bizarre #SJSharks stat number two: LA G Ben Scrivens had an assist at SJ 11/27. LA G Martin Jones has one for LA vs. SJ tonight.

— Dan Rusanowsky (@DanRusanowsky) December 20, 2013

I’m totally fine with this trend continuing.

In what would be a pervading theme of their game that night, the Sharks seemed to miss every wide open net presented to them.

Tommy “I Have a Rad Name” Wingels, completely fails to bury the puck past Jones, but it bounces off of Jones’ pads and looks like it’s going to make it in. I say “looks like” because Martin Jones is apparently so on top of things, that even while sprawled and slightly confused as to what’s going on, he sweeps his glove back in order to stop the puck from completely crossing the goal line.

It’s magic is what it is.

Onward to the 3rd, the Kings weren’t satisfied with having just a two goal lead. Continuing the “what a slick fucking pass!” train, Dwight King stuns fans, Bob and Jim, his fellow players, and the the Twitter world at large with a terrific little move to fool the Sharks and pass to Jeff Carter for the tip-in.

Who would have thunk this was possible? Not I!

Jeff Carter’s face to King post goal (check the video!) pretty much epitomizes everyone’s reaction: what the fuck was that? Even better, Stoll and Toffoli were asked about it during the post-game media blitz, and it was just general incredulity that he even had that in his arsenal. Same fellows, same.

Not happy with just a great assist, King tallies one more for the Kings, widening their lead even further.

At this point, the Sharks look like they’re trying to rally for a comeback and really amp up their game. While it was too little too late, Patrick Marleau decides to be the worst person in the world by denying Martin Jones another set of back-to-back shutouts. How rude.

Another Kings win, with them now having won 8 of their last nine. After expressing my inexplicable fondness for Robyn Regehr in the last podcast,  I’m pleased to be vaguely justified in this as he tallied his first mulit-point night since 2010.

This was Regehr’s first multi-point game since 2/14/10! Best part: he had 3 multi-point games THAT WEEK. Waited almost 4 years for another.

— Eric (@hailrover) December 20, 2013

Chanelle called me “Diane Phan: #1 Regehr Stan,” and I cried.

Besides the loss of the captain to start the game, what a fucking great game and stellar playing from the Los Angeles Kings against the division rival right on their heels. Hold this win close to your hearts friends because next up? An afternoon game against the Avalanche.