Stoll returned for the Kings in this game, White returning for the Sharks on defence.
Mitchell gave the home team the lead early on at 2.26. An innocent wrist shot from the wing seemed to go straight through the glove of Neimi.
13 Seconds later the Kings had a 2-0 lead. LA won the face off, passed it into mid ice and entered the zone on a bouncing puck, Richardson had a couple of whacks at the puck trying to get a shot away. He fanned on these but his 3rd swing at the puck turned into the perfect pass to Clifford skating towards the crease and deflecting the puck over the head of Neimi.
The 1st powerplay of the game went to the Kings with things going from bad to worse for the Sharks. A 4 minute double minor on Wallin for high sticking at 4. giving LA an extend chance with the extra man. Wallin unlucky to get called as it was Pavelski's stick that clipped LA's Handzus.
The Sharks penalty killing unit kept the Kings at bay all 4 minutes superbly, not allowing Johnson or Doughty to control the puck on the blue line. The Kings failed to create any real chances, Doughty having 1 shot easily saved and a couple of scrambles infront of Neimi were easily cleared.
San Jose got their 1st powerplay chance at 13.14, Mitchell getting called for hooking. The Sharks failed to get any real threat going and went 0/8 on the powerplay so far in the series.
The Kings made it a 3 goal period with 1.38 left, Boyle making a mistake mid ice allowing Handzus to skate into the zone with Penner carrying the puck. Penner's pass ended perfectly on his stick and he fired the shot past Neimi.
A complete farce at the end of the period saw some confusion with an early delay on the time clock, the home fans going wild at the buzzer before the ref's then looked like they were going to play another 10 seconds. They then decided the period was actually over and the teams left the ice over 5 minutes after the buzzer had gone.
A brilliant 1st by the Kings, they jumped all over the Sharks from the off and never let them get anything going offensively.
Richardson made it 4-0 only 44 seconds into the 2nd period. Ian White trying to clear the puck down the board but Richardson knocking the puck down with his stick, skating forward and wristing the puck glove side on Neimi. Sharks coach McLellan had seen enough and Neimi was pulled, Nittymaki sent in.
Marleau had the Sharks on the board at 3.08. Boyle, having his shooting lane blocked by the Kings defence decided to shoot the puck wide straight on Marleau's stick. He redirected it past Quick as he slid across trying to make the save.
6.53 and it was 4-2, Clowe scoring towards the end of the Sharks 2nd powerplay of the night. Picking the puck up behind the net and skating out he threw the puck towards the net. Mitchell had his stick on the ice and as he reached with it the puck redirected and went softly through Quick and into the back of the net.
The Sharks were now on top, trying to get the game down to 1 goal. Quick pulled off a great save from Setagouchi down at his far post. The game went end to end with Nittymaki making a pad save from Richardson as San Jose were still giving away turnovers in their defensive end. The sequence of play ending with a hooking penalty on Demers at 9.35. LA didn't manage to get a shot away on the powerplay with the Sharks killing off a 3rd straight penalty rather comfortably.
Couture did make it a 4-3 game at 13.32. The first time the teams went 4 on 4 in the game, Ian White picked up a pass on the wing and skated to the middle of the circle. A perfect pass across ice found Couture who released a quick one timer that flew past the glove of Quick.
LA didn't waste any time getting their 2 goal lead back, scoring on the next attack at 13.47. Stoll brought the puck from the red line to the goal line and fired the pass right across the crease to a rushing Smyth who tapped the puck in past Nittymaki.
With 1.25 remaining in the 1st Clowe made it 5-4 after over a minute of pressure from the Sharks. Quick had managed to pull off about 3 or 4 vital saves as the Sharks swarmed all over the LA net. With the defensemen getting deeper an deeper on every circle of the puck, Boyle picked the puck up in the circle after a scramble and played the perfect pass to a wide open Clowe. He fired the puck past a sprawling Quick.
It was 5-5 before the end of the period. 31 seconds remained on the clock when White sent a puck towards the net with traffic infront. It was Pavelski and Doughty providing that traffic, the puck hitting Doughty and landing right inbetween Pavelski's legs. He hit the puck up high into the net to complete a remarkable 2nd period. The Kings had led 4-0 after only 44 seconds of it, 19 minutes later the game had turned on it's head and went into the period level at 5-5.
After a 7 goal second period the 3rd continued with both teams creating chances and looking to take the lead. Neither team could get themselves infront after 60 minutes and it would be overtime for the 2nd time in this series.
After that scoreless 20 minutes it only took 3.09 of the overtime period for a winner to be struck.
It was Setoguchi came over the blue line as the tailing player on a 3 on 2, Marleau giving him the puck to wrist past Quick from the slot. It was a remarkable come back from the Kings and their 2nd overtime win of the series.
The earlier Canucks / Blackhawks game had contained the best period of hockey by 1 team so far in the playoffs, this game contained the best period of hockey for entertainment. Hell, this was the most entertaining game of the playoffs so far. Tonight's 2 games showed why the Western Conference is considered by some as the best conference.
This game was end to end. You couldn't have blamed the Sharks for losing their heart and their heads after being 4-0 down in this one. They didn't go the way the Canucks had early though and just stepped up their attacking game and started to show why they are one of the best teams in this playoffs at going forward.
Im not sure if the Kings threw this game away or if it was just the sheer determination and skill from the Sharks that got them the win. There were so many momentum shifts during the game and the play was end to end. A fantastic advert for ice hockey and the Stanley Cup.
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