Kings get big win over Sharks

Los Angeles, CA – Mike Richards and Anze Kopitar had a goal 2 win over the Sharks in a key Pacific Division matchup.

Alec Martinez, Dustin Penner and Jeff Carter each added a goal while Jonathan Quick made 20 saves for the Kings, who won their fifth straight game. They pulled even with Phoenix for the eighth spot in the Western Conference and trail division-leading Dallas by a single point.

"They played last night and we were fresh," said Kings head coach Darryl Sutter. "We pushed them tonight. Our guys have to raise their game if we're going to make the playoffs."

Martin Havlat had a goal and assist for San Jose while Dan Boyle also scored and Antti Niemi stopped 37-of-41 shots. The Sharks remain two points out of the final playoff spot in the West.

"Both teams are trying, but we have to try harder," said Boyle after the loss. "We need all four lines to show up."

The score was tied, 1-1, after 20 minutes of play. Richards struck first with a shorthanded tally, keeping the puck on a 2-on-1 break and sending a wrister past Niemi with 4:34 left in the first. Havlat answered 22 seconds later on the power play. He skated down the middle and put a wrister on net that was blocked but he quickly deposited the rebound into the back of the net.

The Sharks stalled in the second, getting just five shots on net. Meanwhile, the Kings capitalized, taking a 2-1 lead on Martinez's one-timer with 4:11 remaining in the period.

Los Angeles was on the power play four minutes into the third when Richards controlled the puck behind the net and found Kopitar between the circles for a wrister past Niemi and a 3-1 lead.

San Jose made it a one-goal game three minutes later courtesy of a deft feed from Logan Couture to Boyle, who scored in front. But Penner responded with 4:06 remaining. He recovered a blue-line turnover and pushed the disc up the left side before squeezing a wrister under Niemi.

Carter added an empty netter in the closing seconds.

Game Notes

The teams have split their first four meetings of the season and will close the regular season with a home-and-home showdown...The Kings have scored 21 goals during their current win streak.