San Jose Sharks level Series with 2-1 win over Los Angeles Kings – NHL Playoffs Update
It was another good night at home as the San Jose Sharks won back-to-back, levelling the 2013 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Playoffs Semifinal series against state rivals, the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1.
For San Jose, it has been a perfect run at home ever since the postseason kicked off with a huge 4-0 victory over top contender, the Vancouver Canucks and now on the brink of getting a lead on 2012 Stanley Cup winners, the Kings.
With Los Angeles having the home-ice advantage in the series due to them being up in the Western Conference ranking, the Sharks will have to play the next two at the STAPLES Center and make sure they win at least one to return home for Game 7.
“We played two good home games and now we have to win in L.A. if we want to win this series,” Sharks’ Logan Couture told NHL Network. “It's a big game on Thursday and we're looking forward to it.”
Brent Burns potted his second of the playoffs and first of the night 6:09 into the opening period on an assist from Joe Thornton. Dan Boyle set up San Jose’s top youngster, Logan Couture, at 3:55 of the second on a power play as LA’s Colin Fraser went out
on a minor penalty for roughing. It was Couture’s fifth of the postseason thus far.
“He's our leader for a reason,” Burns said of Thornton, according to ESPN. “Everybody keeps saying it. He's one of the hardest workers we have in here. It's awesome to play with him when he's playing like that. It's a lot of fun.”
To top off the match, it was Mike Richards of the Los Angeles Kings who scored his second on an added man advantage of their own near the midway mark as Brent Burns was called for boarding. Antti Niemi had another wonderful performance by blocking 22 of
23 while Jonathan Quick failed to block two.
“I think we battled back and made it close but you don't get much for making it close,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter added.
The tie breaker is scheduled between the Kings and Sharks in Los Angeles on Thursday, 10:30 PM ET.
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