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Kings blow big lead, but beat Sharks
posted 10/07/09 2:14 am
ABC 7 News - Kings blow big lead, but beat Sharks
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(Sports Network) - Teddy Purcell scored the game-winning goal with 5:10 remaining in regulation to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 6-4 win over the San Jose Sharks in a wild game at Staples Center.

Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth were among four different first-period goal scorers for the Kings, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead only to watch San Jose strike back with four unanswered goals -- all of which were scored on the power play -- prior to Purcell's late game-winner.

Wayne Simmonds and Jack Johnson also scored while Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in the victory. The Kings evened their record on the young season after they dropped the opener against Phoenix on Saturday.

"We're glad that we stayed composed and are pleased to get the win, but the penalty kill has to be better," said Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi. "(Our weak penalty killing) put the game in jeopardy and it shouldn't have been that way. For the most part, the guys stayed composed and we came back to win the game."

Devin Setoguchi tallied twice and Dany Heatley scored his first goal as a member of the Sharks, and added two assists. Joe Thornton posted three assists for San Jose, which has lost two of its three games so far this season.

Evgeni Nabokov allowed four goals on 20 shots and was replaced by Thomas Greiss, who had eight saves against nine shots, but made a very costly error.

San Jose entered the final stanza trailing 4-2, but Setoguchi's second tally of the night -- scored just over one minute into the frame -- brought the visitors within one. A backhand pass from the low right side by Heatley slid across the goal mouth for a tap-in near the left post by Setoguchi.

At the 14:24 mark, Heatley, the prized offseason acquisition, wound up from inside the left circle and used Setoguchi as a screen before he sent a laser slap shot past Quick for a 4-4 tie.

However, a mistake by Greiss and an alert shot by Purcell provided the difference. On the following shift after Heatley's goal, the puck was deep in the Kings' offensive zone. From along the rear boards behind the net on the right side, Purcell simply threw the puck toward the crease and it deflected off the pads of Greiss and caromed into the back of the net.

"The best way for me to put it is we're not going to win games giving up six goals nor with goaltending like that," said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan. "We're all guilty of something tonight -- coaches and players."

Davis Drewiske's empty-net tally at 18:41 capped the scoring.

Simmonds opened the scoring at the 5:49 mark of the first period. Following a stuffer attempt at the left post by Alex Frolov, the rebound was poked at by Michal Handzus. Nabokov again made the save, but Simmonds was in position atop the crease to punch home the rebound.

A power-play tally by Smyth 1:52 into the middle stanza made it 2-0. After a great effort by Drew Doughty to keep the puck inside the blue line at the right point, the Kings continued to pass around the perimeter. Soon after, Dustin Brown fired a shot from above the left circle and Smyth, from the top of the crease near the left post, tucked the rebound over the goal line.

LA scored twice in a 56-second span in the middle stages of the second period.

After Johnson's marker at the 11:20 point, the Kings moved ahead 4-0 less than a minute later on Kopitar's second goal of the campaign. Kopitar skated through the neutral zone down the right-wing side and, from above the right circle, fired a blazing wrist shot that beat Nabokov high to the near side.

Greiss then replaced Nabokov.

San Jose finally reached the scoreboard with four minutes remaining before the second intermission. After the Kings were whistled for too many men on the ice, the Sharks went to work with the extra skater. Thornton assumed his usual post along the lower right half-wall, found the open passing lane and centered the puck before a successful one-timer by Setoguchi from the slot.

A double high-sticking minor called on Frolov soon after proved costly, as the Sharks cashed in on the lengthy stretch with the extra skater. Blake's first goal of the campaign with 17 seconds remaining in the stanza drew the visitors within 4-2.

Game Notes

The Sharks scored on all their power play chances, while the Kings ended 1-for-4 with the man-advantage...Setoguchi has three goals this season...Near the end of the game, Simmonds squared off with Ryan Clowe, who was given an extra two minutes for roughing.



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