Kings score 3 in third period, trip up Sharks 4-2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Ferrell spent the second period of the Kings' game against the San Jose Sharks as part of the local television broadcast in his "Anchorman" character, Ron Burgundy. The comedian, who often attends games, never got to call a goal for the home team.
They more than made up for it as soon as Burgundy left the booth.
Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist, Matt Roy scored his first career goal and the Kings used a three-goal third period to top the Sharks 4-2 on Thursday night.
"Winning's a lot more fun that losing, and we've done a lot of losing this year," said Kings forward Dustin Brown, who scored for the third straight game.
Jeff Carter also scored for Los Angeles, which snapped a five-game skid at home. Jonathan Quick made 23 saves.
Barclay Goodrow and Tomas Hertl scored, and Martin Jones made 31 saves for the Sharks, who trail Calgary by five points for the Pacific Division lead and the best record in the Western Conference.
"We saw how Calgary is playing right now, and we have to step it up," Hertl said. "It's the time of the year we have to be ready because the playoffs are coming very soon. LA was all over us, and it's a tough loss for us tonight."
Los Angeles trailed 2-1 in the third period when Roy tied it at 9:28 with a shot from the blue line for his first goal. The Kings defenseman, who entered with two assists in 15 career games, initially thought Brown might have tipped the shot in and had a delayed celebration.
There was no such hesitation from the Kings to take the 3-2 lead as Kopitar got in behind the Sharks defense at 11:45 of the third period, getting his 21st goal. The Sharks lost track of the Kings captain as both teams fought to take the puck off the wall in the San Jose zone, with Alex Iafallo eventually chipping over to Kopitar for a breakaway.
Carter added a short-handed empty-net goal with 1:17 remaining.
San Jose looked to be in good shape to stay within striking distance of Calgary even without forwards Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski and defenseman Erik Karlsson in the lineup when Hertl scored his 32nd goal on a wrist shot from the right circle for a 2-1 lead at 3:45 of the second period.
Couture was held out at the last moment because of flu-like symptoms. Pavelski missed his second game because of a lower-body injury, and Karlsson missed his 10th straight game because of a groin injury.
But the Sharks lost focus in the third period and continuing a recent tendency, forward Evander Kane said.
"It's not necessarily a lack of urgency going into the game, but periods in the game where we, I think, are maybe a little too relaxed," Kane said. "And that was a prime example, going into the third period. We need to push to get that next goal and be harder to play against on the defensive side of the puck."
The Kings, stuck in last place in the West, were more than happy to take advantage of the malaise from their Northern California rivals with a classy final 20 minutes.
"You could feel the excitement in the building tonight, so it was a lot of fun," Roy said.
NOTES: Brent Burns had an assist for the third straight game. It was his 76th point of the season to tie his career high and Sharks record for points in a season by a defenseman, which Burns set in 2016-17. ... Kings F Brendan Leipsic missed the third period after sustaining a lower-body injury. ... Pavelski skated during an optional practice Thursday but did not take contact. ... Iafallo had two assists.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.
Kings: Host Anaheim on Saturday night.
