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Team effort lifts Sharks over Kings

Feb 20, 2009 - 7:27 AM SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- The San Jose Sharks used a team effort to restore order to the Pacific Division.

Captain Patrick Marleau was one of four different players to score goals as the Sharks claimed a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

Milan Michalek and Lukas Kaspar also tallied and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic added a goal and set up another for San Jose, which has been the top team in the Western Conference for most of the season, but registered just its third victory in eight games this month (3-1-4).

"We're trying to get everything working again and getting ready for that next road trip," Marleau said. "We've got one more game at home and hopefully get another win here, feel good about ourselves and then head out on the road and do the job on the road."

All-Star Joe Thornton and blue-liner Rob Blake contributed two assists apiece while Evgeni Nabokov made 30 saves.

"At home we play a little bit more aggressive and we know that we're going to score, we know that we're going to get the power-play goals but I think we have to pay attention to the defensive side and being responsible in the end and I think we are," Nabokov said. "But that's something we have to think about more every game because it's getting closer to the end and every little thing is important right now. Some teams are desperate like LA and Edmonton and I thought we handled it pretty well."

Alexander Frolov and Michal Handzus scored for the Kings, who have spent a majority of the campaign at the bottom of the standings, but entered this contest with a 5-1-2 record this month after opening February with four straight victories.

"They're definitely a good team and that's why they're first in the West and they have a really good four lines but I don't think we played as good as we played last night (at Anaheim)," Kings center Anze Kopitar said. "I don't think we competed hard, we didn't win battles 1-on-1 and that's the result of the game."

Los Angeles' run of success was in jeopardy from the start as Kaspar put the Sharks on top 34 seconds into the game when his backhander from the doorstep beat Erik Ersberg, who finished with 36 saves.

"Ersberg was out because of a knee injury and was not 100 percent and this was the first opportunity to get him in on a back-to-back night because (Jonathan) Quick has been playing very well," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "I wanted to keep going with him and keep his flow in place and I thought the opportunity was right to make the switch tonight."

Handzus evened the scored 3:50 later, but Marleau recorded his team-leading 33rd goal of the season with 1:57 remaining in the session to give San Jose a 2-1 lead at the first intermission.

With Joe Pavelski in the penalty box for interference, Frolov pulled the Kings even once again 3:53 into the second, when he picked up a rebound and shot it into a wide-open net for the power-play tally.

However, Vlasic put the Sharks back on top with 9:09 remaining in the period with a power-play goal of his own and Michalek sealed the victory 2:20 later when his one-timer from the doorstep gave San Jose an insurmountable 4-2 advantage.