LOS ANGELES, CA (BDCi) – The second round of the NHL playoffs are underway and the Los Angeles Kings have advanced on to the second round where they face the San Jose Sharks. During the regular season the Kings went 2-1-1 against the Sharks and have the higher seed than the Sharks, earning them home ice advantage in this round. Would the Kings be able to capitalize on home ice and earn a 1-0 series lead? Let’s find out!
In the first period the play between the two teams was very even as it was back and forth with each team mustering up eight shots a piece. Both goalies were on top of their game as Antti Niemi and Jonathan Quick turned aside shot after shot. Finally with less than a minute to play in the opening period the Kings got on the board as defenseman Slava Voynov scored his third goal of the playoffs and he rifled a shot past Niemi to give the Kings a 1-0 lead. That lead would stand for the remainder of the period and the Kings would go into the second period ahead 1-0.
In the second period the Kings were outplayed by the Sharks as San Jose outshot the Kings 11-8, however it was the Kings once again who got on the scoreboard and not the Sharks as Mike Richards got credit for his first goal of the playoffs after Slava Voynov took a shot from the point that was redirected off of Richards body and went into the net to give the Kings a 2-0 lead.
In the third period the Sharks were hyper aggressive as they kept the puck pinned down in the Kings end for most of the period as they outshot the Kings 16-4 in the third period. However once again Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick dazzled as he turned aside shot after shot and kept the Sharks off the scoreboard and helped lead the Kings to a 2-0 victory.
With the victory the Kings lead their series against the Sharks one game to none and will look to make it a two games to none lead when they play again at Staples Center Thursday night.
By: Benjamin Robinson
Source: ESPN
May 15, 2012
10:37 a.m. PDT