Niemi reamained as the starting netminder for the Sharks as they looked to eliminate the Kings on their own ice. Quick remained in between the pipes for LA, he has remained in there all series so far.
The game took a while to get going, the Sharks having the best of the early exchanges. Everything they were throwing on net though was being seen by Quick and anything he was gving up a rebound on was being cleared infront by the Kings defence.
It was a quick 1st period with no penalties called and hardly any whistles. The Sharks contiued where they left off in game 5, outshooting the Kings 16-5. They were still finding it hard to get anything past Quick in the Kings net.
It took only 18 seconds in the 2nd period for the 1st penalty of the game to be called, Mitchell called for slashing. This gave the Sharks a chance to improve on their powerplay which had only got 2 on 24 attempts so far this series.
Kyle Wellwood gave the Sharks the lead at 2.58 of the period as they finally managed to beat Quick. The netminder had lost his stick and Thornton got the puck to Wellwood in between the circles. He got the puck up high gloveside and the puck flew into the roof of the net. The Sharkshad taken 71 shots between their last goal in game 5 to this one in game 6 to get a puck past the Kings netminder.
Greene shot the puck straight into the crowd at 6.44 to give the Sharks their 2nd powerplay chance of the game and to keep all the pressure on the Kings net. Despite controlling the puck they couldn't find the 2nd goal.
By the halfway stage of the period the Kings were being heavily outplayed and outshot 25-7. They couldn't get anything going and the Sharks were having all the chances, Quick keeping LA in this game by only allowing the 1 goal.
They did get their 1st powerplay chance at 11.13 with Thornton taking 4 minutes for high sticking even though it was an LA Kings player that lifted his stick into Richardson's face.
This gave the Kings some momentum and brought Niemi into the game for the first time, the netminder making big saves in the first 30 seconds of the kill with Johnson and Doughty firing shots in. The Kings got the game tied up at 1-1 though on the 2nd of the penalties. Johnson fired in a soft shot across Niemi from the wing looking for a rebound off a pad. He got exactly this as Williams picked it up on the opposite side and had half the net open to fire in the equaliser.
The Sharks had the lead back with 3.08 left on the period. Pavelski did some great work along the boards and he managed to get the puck across to an on rushing Demers who fired high, stick side on Quick.
Smyth had a big chance less than 30 seconds later as he rushed down on Niemi from the wings. He had to juggle the puck in his skates and to his stick but his shot was gloved by Niemi.
At the end of the 2nd the Sharks were outshooting the Kings 29-18 and were now 2-1 up on the scoreboard. The Kings would need a big 3rd period.
It took the Kings just 18 seconds of that period to level the game up for the 2nd time. Smyth played a drop pass to Stoll on the Stanley Cup sign and he took a shot that Niemi saved with the toe but in a flash it was up and in behind him as Smyth had followed the puck to the net.
Heatley gave the Sharks the lead for the 3rd time as the Kings D failed to clear and easy puck from the zone. The puck was fluttered up into the air and over the blueline and instead of clearing the puck the Kings tried to control it, got robbed and Heatley picked up the loose puck and lasered it stick side, off the post and in.
LA got a powerplay chance almost straight after with Demers taking a 2 min interference penalty at 9.43
They failed to get set up for the majority of the powerplay and just as it looked like the Sharks would kill it off comfortably, Stoll sent a wrister towards the net which was blocked infront by Wallin and deflected right onto the stick of Lewis and he tapped it in to tie the game for a 3rd time.
The next spell of pressure was to come from the Sharks as Doughty sat 2 minutes for high sticking. The Kings players threw themselves infront of everything, blocking and clearing the puck, the Sharks not getting a shot through on Quick. That kill left 4 miutes on the clock when Doughty returned to the ice.
Mcginn then took a 5 minute penalty for charging at such a critical time, this giving the Kings the rest of the period on the powerplay and, if needed, the first minute and half of overtime on it as well.
The Kings got the powerplay set up towards the end of the period and Williams fanned on a shot sending it wide and Smyth had a couple of chances right infront of Niemi that produced mad scrambles in the crease. Brown had a shot into the midrift of the Sharks netminder with 8 seconds left that he covered up. That was it for the 3rd period and the game went into overtime for the 3rd time this series.
The Sharks managed to see through the reamaining minute and half of the 5 minute penalty at the start of the overtime period and Thornton won them the game and the series with 2.22 gone.
Setoguchi skated the puck around the net and tried to play the pass to Marleau who was streaking to the slot. He didn't control it, the puck deflected and went right to Thornton who swivelled and put the puck into a wide open net. He went sliding down the ice on his back to celebrate as the Sharks avoided a game 7 and won it on the road.
A fantastic series that i would have loved to have seen go to a game 7. Alas, it wasn't to be. The Kings really took it to San Jose at points and were not that far from pulling off an upset. The Sharks must love overtime, winning 3 of their 4 games in the extra period. The certainly were able to step up in the close games and get themselves over the line.
The Western Conference is now just waiting for one more team. With Detroit, Nashville and San Jose all through it is down to Vancouver or \Chicago this evening to make up the 4.
If Chicago get through it will be Detoit v Nashville and San Jose v Chicago. If Vancouver win through it will be the Canucks who face Nashville and Detroit will face San Jose.
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