SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Phillip Kusharev scored in regulation and the only goal of a shootout, and the San Jose Sharks held on for a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.
San Jose’s first
player in the shootout, Kusharev skated toward his left then shifted direction toward the net before flipping the puck over the left shoulder of Kings goalie Anton Forsberg. Kusharev also had a goal in the second period.
Ty Dellandrea had a goal and an assist for San Jose. Adam Gaudette scored a goal, while Collin Graf had two assists. Yaroslav Askarov made 31 saves, two during the shootout.
Joel Armia, Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe had goals for the Kings.
Gaudette got the Sharks going with a goal on San Jose’s first shot of the game 2:33 into the first period. Gaudette raced in from the blue line and took a pass from Dellandrea then fired a wrist shot into the lower left corner of the net.
After the Kings tied it on Armia’s short-handed and unassisted goal late in the period, San Jose regained the lead when Collin Graf skated around behind the net then flipped to Dellandrea in front of the net for a 2-1 lead with 9.9 seconds remaining.
Los Angeles responded quickly with a tying goal less than two minutes into the second period when Kopitar slid the puck through the legs of Askarov. Trevor Moore and Cody Ceci had assists.
After the Kings had a goal nullified by an offside penalty midway through the second period, Kusharev’s sixth goal of the season gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead.
Kempe forced overtime with his seventh goal of the season with 59 seconds remaining in regulation.
Kings: Face the Bruins on Friday night.
Sharks: Play the Senators on Saturday night.
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