Kaapo Kahkonen shines as Sharks edge Kings in shootout
Jan 22, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke (92) moves the puck against San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) during the second period at Crypto.com Arena. credits: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Kaapo Kahkonen made 43 saves and stopped both attempts in the shootout to help the visiting San Jose Sharks earn a 4-3 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.
Fabian Zetterlund, William Eklund and Justin Bailey scored for San Jose, which has won two in a row for the first time since Dec. 5-7.
Logan Couture and Zetterlund converted the Sharks' two shootout attempts.
Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist, Trevor Moore and Drew Doughty also scored, Kevin Fiala had two assists and David Rittich made 26 saves for the Kings, who are 2-6-5 in their past 13 games.
Doughty tied the score 3-3 with 1:58 left in regulation after Kahkonen was penalized for delay of game when his clearing pass sailed over the glass. The Kings pulled Rittich for a two-man advantage about 30 seconds into the power play, and Doughty scored with a slap shot.
After squandering a 2-0 lead, the Sharks moved back ahead 3-2 at 6:17 of the third period.
Bailey got loose for a semi-breakaway after the Kings turned the puck over following a faceoff win in the San Jose zone. Bailey's shot squeezed through Rittich's pads.
After Kahkonen made 18 saves in a scoreless first period, including seven over the final 1:29, Zetterlund and Eklund scored 1:20 apart in the second period to give San Jose the two-goal lead.
The Sharks were on a delayed penalty when a blocked shot fell at the feet of Zetterlund, who swiped it into the net to make it 1-0 at 7:46.
San Jose stretched the lead to 2-0 at 9:06 when Nico Sturm sped ahead of two Los Angeles players to create a brief two-on-one. He fed Eklund, who scored with a wrist shot to end a 17-game goal drought.
Los Angeles cut the deficit to 2-1 at 17:06 of the second period when Fiala's pass skipped past two San Jose players and left Moore one-on-one against Kahkonen. Moore scored from the bottom of the right circle.
The Kings tied it 2-2 at 1:33 of the third period. Adrian Kempe made a spinning centering pass from just below the goal line, and Byfield scored with a one-timer from the slot.
San Jose defenseman Mario Ferraro hobbled to the dressing room with just under seven minutes left in the second period after a check sent him sliding legs first into the boards.
Ferraro, who came in leading San Jose in average ice time at 22:57 per game, played 14:02.
—Field Level Media