Sharks Game 37 Recap: Sharks 3, Kings 2 (4/3/21)

 The Sharks string together their first four-game win streak all season by defeating the Kings 3-2, earning their second consecutive miniseries sweep. 

It didn't take long for the Sharks to get the first goal of the game. It was first credited to Evander Kane, but they made the right decision to change it to Kevin Labanc after there was initial uncertainty on who scored the goal. The scorekeepers made the right decision because I believe Labanc was the one who scored the first goal all along. Nikolai Knyzhov shot the puck first and Labanc put it in on the rebound. A few minutes later, Dustin Brown ties it for the Kings at one a piece. There has been more push-back from the Kings in the second game of this back-to-back than in the first one. 

In the second period, Jeff Viel almost cashed in on a diving shot attempt, but couldn't get it past Jonathan Quick. Around the 15-minute mark, Evander Kane out-waits Quick and scores to retake the lead for the Sharks 2-1, with Logan Couture and Kevin Labanc getting the assists. Towards the end of the second, Trevor Moore ties the game again for the Kings while shorthanded due to Brent Burns, Martin Jones, and the rest of the Sharks' defense being thrown off guard on the Kings' shorthanded opportunity. 

Marc-Eduoard Vlasic skated in one shift in the first, while he didn't skate at all in the second or third. No one really knew what exactly happened to him, but after the game was completed, it was confirmed that Vlasic left with an apparent upper-body injury. He plans to be re-evaluated soon. 

Dylan Gambrell scores the game-winner for the Sharks in the third period after John Leonard steals the puck from Jonathan Quick behind the Kings' net and makes a great pass to Gambrell with an empty net in front of him. 

Martin Jones had another stellar performance, stopping 35 of 37 shots against and improving his save percentage to .905.

The Sharks are above a .500 win percentage for the first time since the start of this season, and now find themselves one point out of a playoff spot, which most of us would not have anticipated a month ago. Things have become more interesting in the West Division, and I am pumped about it. 

I'm pretty confident the Sharks can maintain their hot streak as they return home for their next game on Tuesday against the in-state rival Ducks at 7:30 pm PT. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, NHL App