A tie game didn't sound so bad to the Los Angeles Kings after their dismal effort Friday night.
Coming off their holiday break, and the three tie games that preceded it, the Kings were slow to get started, gave up two first-period goals within 30 seconds and two more in a second-period spurt and fell to the San Jose Sharks 5-0 in front of 17,496 at HP Pavilion.
PHOTO: AFP
It was the first meeting of the season between the teams that, at least until tonight's rematch, now share the lead in the Pacific Division, but only one team looked ready to play.
"We've got to shape up as a team, and we will," Luc Robitaille said. "There's a lot of character on this team, and I'm positive that we will bounce back [tonight]."
Both teams had some rust to shake off, as evidenced by the number of neutral-zone turnovers in the first 10 minutes. But the Sharks got back into form first, and scored midway through the period on quick-strike goals by Nils Ekman and Jonathan Cheechoo.
Kings goalie Cristobal Huet, playing in place of injured Roman Cechmanek, gave up four goals for the third time in his past four games, but they came in bursts and the defense contributed to a couple. Kings defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov was on the ice for four San Jose goals.
"We had some guys who didn't play very good on the blue line," Kings coach Andy Murray said.
There was plenty for the Kings to be embarrassed about, especially considering that the Sharks had scored more than three goals just once in their past 20 games. Huet was pulled after the second period in favor of Milan Hnilicka, who was recalled for the American Hockey League and made his Kings debut.
"I didn't like any of our players tonight, and our goalie was one of them," Murray said. "If we could have changed 18 other players, I would have done the same thing after the second period.
"Unfortunately, they only allow you to dress 20."
The Kings didn't have many quality scoring chances until a strong third period, and Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov stopped them all, and allowed fewer than three goals for the fourth time in his past five starts and recorded his third shutout.
By the end of the first period, the Sharks already had half the number of shots, 11, that Murray targets for his team to give up in the entire game.
At the 11:30 mark, Kings center Michael Cammalleri was kicked out of the faceoff circle, replaced by another forward, Martin Straka. San Jose center Alyn McCauley won the draw and knocked the puck back to McLaren, who ripped a slap shot that was deflected by Ekman in front of the net and past Huet.
The Sharks controlled the ensuing faceoff and worked the puck behind the Kings' net.
Huet went back to play it, and even though three Kings were around the net, San Jose's Wayne Primeau was able to center the puck to Cheechoo.
Huet scrambled to get back in position, but couldn't get square to the puck before Cheechoo tucked his wrist shot into the right side of the net for a 2-0 San Jose lead.
"I thought I had more time, but the puck went very slow to me behind the net," Huet said. "It was my mistake."
The Kings looked as though they had solved their first-period woes with a strong start to the second, but couldn't put anything past Nabokov.
The Kings generated some momentum early in the second period, but it seemed to be slowed by a poor power play midway though the period in which they couldn't put a shot on Nabokov.
With 2:38 remaining in the period, Kuznetsov attempted a cross-ice pass deep in the Kings' zone that easily was intercepted by Patrick Marleau, who took one stride and beat Huet with a wrist shot.
And just like the first period, the Sharks didn't wait long to strike again, and Marleau scored another goal 29 seconds later.
Cheechoo added his second goal, on the power play, with 3:43 remaining in the third period.
Maple Leafs 6, Rangers 5
Mats Sundin scored 3:35 into overtime to lift Toronto to a ragged 6-5 victory Friday night over the New York Rangers and stretch the Maple Leafs' point streak to 16 games.
Matthew Barnaby scored in the third period to tie it for the Rangers, who twice trailed by three goals.
Toronto is 14-0-1-1 since last losing a regulation game on Nov. 20 at Edmonton, and 7-0-1 away from home. The run ties the longest in the NHL since the 1999-2000 season, when points were first awarded for losses in overtime.
Chris Simon, Greg de Vries, Alex Kovalev and Martin Rucinsky also scored for New York.
Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Ken Klee, Ric Jackman, and Joe Nieuwendyk had the other Toronto goals.
Wild 2, Red Wings 2
In Detroit, Dwayne Roloson stopped 38 shots and Minnesota extended its unbeaten streak to seven games with a tie against Detroit.
The Wild got goals from Marian Gaborik and Wes Walz, improving to 4-0-3 during the run.
Henrik Zetterberg and Kris Draper scored for Detroit, and Curtis Joseph made 22 saves.
Islanders 4, Devils 3, OT
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Mark Parrish scored 1:25 into overtime to give New York a win over New Jersey.
The Islanders also got goals from Dave Scatchard, Mariusz Czerkawski and Oleg Kvasha as they beat the Stanley Cup champions for the second time in 10 days. Garth Snow made 26 saves.
Jeff Friesen scored with 8:01 remaining in the third period to cap a three-goal comeback and help the Devils force overtime.
Brian Rafalski and Patrik Elias also scored for New Jersey.
Blues 3, Avalanche 3
In St. Louis, Adam Foote's goal at 9:27 of the third period gave Colorado a tie with St. Louis.
The Avalanche are winless in their last six games (0-3-3).
The Blues are 12-2-3-0 at home and unbeaten in their last eight games (5-0-3-0) at Savvis Center, where a season-high 20,045 attended Friday's game.
Pavol Demitra, Christian Backman and Eric Nickulas scored for the Blues.
Milan Hejduk and Joe Sakic also scored for Colorado, which blew a 2-0 lead. Sakic has 16 points (seven goals) in his last nine games.
Penguins 3, Senators 3
In Ottawa, Zdeno Chara scored a power-play goal with 5:11 remaining in the third period to lift Ottawa to a tie with Pittsburgh.
Todd White and Jason Spezza scored first-period goals as Ottawa came back twice to extend its unbeaten streak to a season-high five games (3-0-2).
Pittsburgh remained unbeaten in two games against the Senators this season, despite being outshot 44-11. The Penguins entered tied with Columbus for the worst record in the NHL and remain winless in four (0-2-1-1). Tom Kostopoulos scored two goals in the first 5:13 to give the Penguins their first 2-0 lead of the season.
Steve McKenna also scored for Pittsburgh, his first point of the season. It was McKenna's first goal since Feb. 8 in Boston, ending a 56-game drought.
Sabres 3, Hurricanes 1
In Buffalo, New York, Mika Noronen made 30 saves and Buffalo scored three times in the third period for a win over Carolina.
Ales Kotalik scored on the power play at 3:09 of the third period, breaking an 0-for-17 drought for the Sabres with the man advantage. Taylor Pyatt also scored for Buffalo, unbeaten in its last two games following a seven-game losing streak.
Chris Taylor added an empty-net goal for the Sabres.
Sean Hill scored his first goal for Carolina, which is 2-2 under coach Peter Laviolette, who took over after Paul Maurice was fired on Dec. 15.
Thrashers 3, Lightning 1
In Atlanta, Pasi Nurminen stopped 34 shots, and Randy Robitallie, J.P. Vigier and Shawn McEachern each scored to help Atlanta beat Tampa Bay.
The Thrashers won their third straight game just hours after All-Star Dany Heatley spoke publicly for the first time since the car wreck that killed teammate and friend Dan Snyder. Heatley, who broke his jaw and tore knee ligaments in the crash, started skating again this week and hopes to return this season. He stayed for the game, the first time this season he's seen one in person.
Brad Lukowich spoiled Nurminen's chance at his third shutout of the season, scoring with about seven minutes left. Tampa Bay lost for the sixth time in eight games (1-6-1-0).
Blue Jackets 4, Blackhawks 1
In Chicago, Manny Malhotra and Rick Nash scored 1:26 apart early in the third period as Columbus beat Chicago for its first road win of the season.
David Vyborny scored twice for the Blue Jackets, who ended six-game losing skid and nine-game winless streak.
The Blue Jackets improved to 1-11-1-2 away from home. Columbus also won for the first time in Chicago in eight games since entering the NHL in 2000-2001.
Goalie Fred Brathwaite of Columbus stopped 30 shots.
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