GAME #1: Los Angeles Kings @ San Jose Sharks (10/12/2016)
Following a previously unprecedented run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015-2016, the San Jose Sharks took the ice once more at SAP Center on Wednesday night, with the aspiration of achieving yet another improbable run through the West Coast's finest.
First on the docket for Team Teal: perhaps their fiercest rivals. Victors in both the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Finals (against the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, respectively): the always-impressive Los Angeles Kings.
With eleven-year veteran Anže Kopitar donning the Los Angeles "C" for the first time in his career, the battle-tested Kings came into tonight's season-opening contest with renewed vigor, seeking to dethrone the reigning Western Conference Champion Sharks.
Indeed, the opening stages of tonight's game proved to be nearly flawless for Los Angeles. After an unfortunate tripping penalty was attributed to Logan Couture just 33 seconds removed from the opening puck-drop, it was Kings' forward Tyler Toffoli who struck first. Finding the puck in an uninhabited area, Toffoli inexplicably managed to wrist one directly over the left shoulder of Sharks' goaltender Martin Jones, only 1:22 into the opening frame.
In their banner-raising Home Opener, however, the newly-refined 2016-2017 San Jose Sharks were not to be deterred.
Midway through the first period, Logan Couture would find the back of the net for the Sharks' opening score, on a wrist shot from the high-slot that required replay review for confirmation. (Apparently, Mr. Jonathan Quick was not amused by such proceedings.)
Thus, the Sharks and Kings would enter the second period in an indecisive 1-1 tie. After stopping 14 of 15 pucks in the first period, however, Kings' goaltender Jonathan Quick would be forced to leave the game due to an undisclosed "lower-body" injury.
Though this unforeseen injury certainly could have turned disastrous for the Kings, reserve goaltender Jeff Zatkoff definitely seemed up to the task, posting a scoreless second period in net for Los Angeles.
As the puck dropped on the third period of the Season Opener, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings still remained deadlocked at one tally apiece.
Nevertheless, with 16:40 now remaining on the clock, the Sharks' most offensive-minded defender would leave his unmistakable mark on the game. Desperate to build on his early impact, Sharks' forward Logan Couture kicked the puck along the boards to Joonas Donskoi, whose attempted center to Mikkel Boedker was intercepted by Brent Burns, and rifled past Jeff Zatkoff for the eventual game-winning goal.
It stands to reason that Burns' goal was the first of many to come, as in the 2015-2016 Regular Season, he became the first defenseman in Sharks history to register 27 tallies in a single season. Now in a contract year, the 31-year-old should certainly be satisfied in establishing his presence on Opening Night.
Not to be overlooked, however, was the man between the pipes for the Sharks. After allowing a goal on the first Los Angeles shot of the night, San Jose's goaltender Martin Jones was quite literally brilliant, proceeding to make 21 consecutive saves.
Tonight's victory marked the seventh straight Opening Night win for the Sharks, who now firmly hold the longest active streak in the NHL. San Jose would finish atop the shot clock 31-22 in the contest with Los Angeles, ultimately rallying from an early deficit to snatch the Home Opener before heading out on an extended road trip.
The Sharks' five-game stint away from SAP Center begins on Saturday evening in Columbus, Ohio, where they will do battle with John Tortorella's Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
***SHARKS 2, KINGS 1***
First on the docket for Team Teal: perhaps their fiercest rivals. Victors in both the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Finals (against the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, respectively): the always-impressive Los Angeles Kings.
With eleven-year veteran Anže Kopitar donning the Los Angeles "C" for the first time in his career, the battle-tested Kings came into tonight's season-opening contest with renewed vigor, seeking to dethrone the reigning Western Conference Champion Sharks.
Indeed, the opening stages of tonight's game proved to be nearly flawless for Los Angeles. After an unfortunate tripping penalty was attributed to Logan Couture just 33 seconds removed from the opening puck-drop, it was Kings' forward Tyler Toffoli who struck first. Finding the puck in an uninhabited area, Toffoli inexplicably managed to wrist one directly over the left shoulder of Sharks' goaltender Martin Jones, only 1:22 into the opening frame.
In their banner-raising Home Opener, however, the newly-refined 2016-2017 San Jose Sharks were not to be deterred.
Midway through the first period, Logan Couture would find the back of the net for the Sharks' opening score, on a wrist shot from the high-slot that required replay review for confirmation. (Apparently, Mr. Jonathan Quick was not amused by such proceedings.)
Thus, the Sharks and Kings would enter the second period in an indecisive 1-1 tie. After stopping 14 of 15 pucks in the first period, however, Kings' goaltender Jonathan Quick would be forced to leave the game due to an undisclosed "lower-body" injury.
Though this unforeseen injury certainly could have turned disastrous for the Kings, reserve goaltender Jeff Zatkoff definitely seemed up to the task, posting a scoreless second period in net for Los Angeles.
As the puck dropped on the third period of the Season Opener, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings still remained deadlocked at one tally apiece.
Nevertheless, with 16:40 now remaining on the clock, the Sharks' most offensive-minded defender would leave his unmistakable mark on the game. Desperate to build on his early impact, Sharks' forward Logan Couture kicked the puck along the boards to Joonas Donskoi, whose attempted center to Mikkel Boedker was intercepted by Brent Burns, and rifled past Jeff Zatkoff for the eventual game-winning goal.
It stands to reason that Burns' goal was the first of many to come, as in the 2015-2016 Regular Season, he became the first defenseman in Sharks history to register 27 tallies in a single season. Now in a contract year, the 31-year-old should certainly be satisfied in establishing his presence on Opening Night.
Not to be overlooked, however, was the man between the pipes for the Sharks. After allowing a goal on the first Los Angeles shot of the night, San Jose's goaltender Martin Jones was quite literally brilliant, proceeding to make 21 consecutive saves.
Tonight's victory marked the seventh straight Opening Night win for the Sharks, who now firmly hold the longest active streak in the NHL. San Jose would finish atop the shot clock 31-22 in the contest with Los Angeles, ultimately rallying from an early deficit to snatch the Home Opener before heading out on an extended road trip.
The Sharks' five-game stint away from SAP Center begins on Saturday evening in Columbus, Ohio, where they will do battle with John Tortorella's Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
***SHARKS 2, KINGS 1***
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