Kings 3 - 4 Sharks
Final
  for this game

Sharks top Kings to halt losing streak

Mar 15, 2013 - 7:01 AM San Jose, CA (Sports Network) - Logan Couture had two goals and an assist, leading the way for San Jose in a 4-3 win over the visiting Los Angeles Kings in the front end of a home-and-home set at HP Pavilion.

Couture's second tally put the Sharks up 4-1 early in the third period, but Los Angeles made things interesting with goals from Dustin Brown -- his second of the game -- and Dwight King 3:52 apart late in the frame.

The Sharks, though, held on to snap a four-game skid.

"I thought where we failed a little bit down the stretch was we didn't continue to forecheck," said head coach Todd McLellan, who earned his 207th win behind San Jose's bench, passing Ron Wilson for the most in franchise history. "We were an effective team on the forecheck, now we were going to stand off and defend. You can't do that against a good team like that."

It seemed like McLellan would become the Sharks' winningest coach in a comfortable manner, with his club in possession of a three-goal lead after Couture scored on a 2-on-0 rush 27 seconds into the third.

Brown potted his fifth goal in the last three games at 12:48, then King put in a rebound behind San Jose goaltender Antti Niemi with 3:20 to play.

The comeback bid fell short, as Los Angeles suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since Feb. 7-10.

Despite holding a 16-6 shot advantage, Los Angeles trailed 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Brent Burns.

A hit that Sharks captain Joe Thornton referred to as "a good clean check" turned the game in San Jose's favor in the middle stanza.

Andrew Desjardins leveled Kings forward Colin Fraser behind the Los Angeles net. The crushing hit provoked Jake Muzzin to defend his teammate by engaging in a scrap with Desjardins.

In addition to the fighting major, the Los Angeles defenseman got a double- minor, and San Jose scored on both power plays to go up 3-0, chasing starting goaltender Jonathan Quick.

Matt Irwin lit the lamp at 7:07, and Thornton fed a drop pass that Couture one-timed from the point at 8:34.

Brown scored a power-play goal 1:14 later.

Game Notes

The rematch is set for Saturday at Staples Center ... Niemi finished with 34 saves ... Jonathan Bernier made 13 saves in relief of Quick, who stopped 9- of-12 shots ... Kings center Anze Kopitar played in his 500th NHL game ... Los Angeles winger Justin Williams had two assists, giving him 300 for his career ... The Kings have lost five straight at San Jose.






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