EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Features exclusive video of post-game interviews—footage that KingsVision did not get—with Jonathan Bernier and Tyler Toffoli.
LOS ANGELES — Kyle Clifford scored two goals, Jarret Stoll scored a goal and tallied an assist, Trevor Lewis contributed two assists, and Jonathan Bernier made twenty saves, including one on a penalty shot, to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a decisive 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,118 fans at Staples Center on March 16.
Justin Williams and Dwight King also scored for the Kings, while Patrick Marleau and Matt Irwin scored for the Sharks.
The Kings took control of the game early, with Clifford scoring from below the right face-off dot at 2:27 of the first period—a bad goal allowed by Sharks netminder Antti Niemi, who was still moving to his left when the shot came in.
Williams gave the Kings a 2-0 lead at the 12:19 mark, banking a backhand from just outside the left goal post off Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart at the right goal post, and into the net.
The Sharks came out flying at the start of the second period, and they had the Kings reeling, and on their heels when center Patrick Marleau cut the Kings’ lead in half just 35 seconds into the period.
At the 7:58 mark, Sharks center Tommy Wingels got past Kings rookie right wing Tyler Toffoli, who made his National Hockey League debut in this game. Toffoli chased Wingels, and slashed him to prevent a quality scoring chance. As a result, Wingels was awarded a penalty shot, but his wrist shot was stopped by Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier with a glove save.
Stoll scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at the 11:15 mark, slipping a backhand shot underneath Niemi.
A little over two minutes later, left wing Dustin Penner bowled his way to the front of the net and nearly pushed the puck, along with Niemi, into the net. Clifford swooped in, found the loose puck in the crease, and poked it past Niemi at 13:45, recording his first multi-goal game in the NHL.
Immediately after that goal, Alex Stalock came on in relief of Niemi.
King scored at 18:56 on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle, beating Stalock glove side, just inside the right goal post.
There was no scoring in the third period until Irwin scored on a blast from the point, beating a badly screened Bernier for a power play goal at 19:10, closing out the scoring.
Niemi, who was tagged with the loss, allowed four goals on 18 shots, before being replaced by Stalock, who made five saves.
Bernier earned his sixth win of the season for the Kings, and is now 6-2-0 for the season. In nine games (seven starts), he has a 1.94 goals-against average, and a .916 save percentage.
In his NHL debut, Toffoli had 13:20 of ice time (19 shifts, including 44 seconds of power play time) on a line with Mike Richards on left wing and Jeff Carter at center. He was credited with one shot on goal, four shots that missed the net, two hits, and a blocked shot.
Post-Game Quotes From San Jose Sharks Dressing Room
San Jose Head Coach Todd McLellan:
“How frigging disappointing is that? We play against the Stanley Cup champions back-to-back. We’re lucky enough to win one in San Jose. We come here and you got to think they’d to be champing at the bit and be ready to go, and they’re going to push you, and what a great opportunity for our team to test themselves collectively, but also individually: Do I belong in the NHL? When I look across, can I outplay the guy that I line up against? We had a lot of passengers. So disappointing. So disappointing.”
(Will he look at how they approached this game?) “Not one bit. Not one frigging bit. They should be ready. If there’s not a better motivating factor then the guys with the Stanley Cup logo on their jerseys next door. Not one bit.”
(How much blame on Niemi and how much on others?) “They scored on the first shot. When you need a save early in the game, they scored on the first shot. They got the momentum rolling from there. But there was a lot of other people involved in all 60 minutes, not just Nemo.”
San Jose Forward Joe Thornton:
“The shots were pretty much even. If you don’t have an A game you have to have a B game and some guys had their D game. At this level, that just can’t happen against elite teams. You are finally feeling pretty good about your game and pretty good about the team and then you take a step back like this tonight.”
(About the missed penalty shot): “It would have been nice if Tommy scored. Who knows what would have happened. It probably would have been a different scenario. It didn’t happen, it was a good save.”
(About getting off to a slow start): “It was the same way back home. We got all our shots second part of the first period and on. Tonight was the same way. I am not sure why but guys have to find their B game if they aren’t getting their A game; can’t have C or D games.”
San Jose Goaltender Antti Niemi:
“I have to be able to get the rebounds. Obviously there are going to be rebounds in front of the net, but we have to be able to get there. I have to be able to try my best to get those to the corners. We have to be able to get back to the net and clear those. Playing St Louis and LA they are pretty good teams putting screens in front. So yes it’s tough to find the puck for sure.”
NOTES:
- The Kings have now won ten of their last 14 games, outscoring opponents 51-35. They have also won twelve of their last 17 games, outscoring opponents 59-40,
- The Kings have now won nine of their last ten games at home. They are 10-2-1 overall at home this season (their best 13-game start at home is 12-1-0 in 1992-93).
- The Kings have outscored opponents 45-28 at home this season.
- The Kings are now 10-1-1 when scoring first.
- The Kings have scored four or more goals in six of their last twelve games.
- Bernier is 6-0-0 in seven starts this season, with a 1.57 GAA and a .931 save percentage in that span.
- Twelve different Kings recorded points in this game.
Frozen Royalty Video via FrozenRoyaltyNHL on YouTube – Interviews From San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings, March 16, 2013
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NOTE: These interviews are not the same as the cooresponding interviews on KingsVision/LAKings.com
Post-Game Interviews via KingsVision On YouTube
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