SAN JOSE – A strong start allowed an uneven third period to not make the difference Thursday night as the San Jose Sharks opened the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 6-3 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Kings.
San Jose posted two goals in the second period to take a 5-0 lead and chase starting goaltender Jonathan Quick from the game.
The Kings countered with three straight goals in the third period before Brent Burns ended the suspense with an empty-net goal for San Jose with 54.7 seconds to play.
Los Angeles turned to third-period goals from Jake Murzin, Slava Voynov and Trevor Lewis to trail 5-3 with 6:01 to play. San Jose goaltender Antti Niemi settled down to stop the final five Los Angeles shots.
Shark defenseman Marc-Eduoard Vlasic, playing in his 80th playoff game earned an assist and a goal in the second period.
A hard shot by Vlasic from the high slot bounded off the left post. The long rebound left Raffi Torres with the successful shot through a screen at 12:57 for his 10th career playoff goal for the 4-0 edge.
“We’re fortunate to have him back,” coach Todd McLellan said of Torres’ return after a 16-game stretch due to injury.
Vlasic posted his second career playoff goal at 16:29 with the Sharks on a power play.
After Jason Demers stopped a shorthanded breakaway threat by Mike Richards, Demers whipped the puck toward the offensive zone. Vlasic sent a low shot past three players and behind Quick for the 5-0 advantage.
The Sharks powered to a 3-0 lead after one period, capping the performance with two goals in the final minute.
Playing in front of a full house for the 200th consecutive home game, San Jose peppered Quick with 14 shots on net during the opening 20 minutes.
Captain Joe Thornton scored the first goal of the series. Linemate Burns controlled the puck in the offensive zone before pulling the puck back toward the slot before sliding behind the net. Joe Pavelski backhanded a low shot toward the net that Thornton redirected inside the right post for his 23rd career playoff goal at 3:06.
The penalty box welcomed two skaters from each team at the 4:59 mark. Mike Brown was whistled for goaltender interference at the end of a rush toward the Kings’ net. By the time the shoving ended, Andrew Desjardins of the Sharks and both Jordan Nolan and Kyle Clifford of the Kings earned roughing minors.
Neither team converted a power play in the period. As the clock reached the final minute, the Sharks turned two chances into goals.
Demers ignited a San Jose play with a pass from the defensive zone to Tommy Wingels. Tomas Hertl and James Sheppard entered the offensive zone as Wingels arrived. Sheppard tried to turn Wingels’ cross-ice pass into a shot on net, then shoved the puck toward the left circle to an unmarked Hertl for the quick shot into the open net with 51.7 seconds left.
The score went to 3-0 with 3.2 seconds left. James Sheppard pushed the puck up-ice as Matt Nieto and Patrick Marleau began a 2-on-1 rush. Nieto’s pass toward the low slot allowed Marleau to earn his 58th career post-season goal.
“A weird night,” explained Thornton of the strong offensive showing against the defensive-minded Kings. “We were fortunate with some of those goals. We had some fortunate bounces. I expect (the Kings) to be better next game.”
The Sharks will look to improve to 2-0 in the series for Game 2 at 7 p.m. Sunday in San Jose.
NOTES: The six goals tied the San Jose franchise record for most goals in a home game in the post-season…Vlasic and Burns each recorded five shots on net…Martin Jones tended goal for the third period for the Kings, stopping four shots…Game Two is Sunday at 7pm, with the following two games in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Thursday.
