Remember when the Los Angeles Kings were a trendy pick to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final?
That hype now seems like a thing of the past, as the San Jose Sharks’ 4-3 overtime win in Game 3 of the Western Conference quarterfinals Tuesday night put the Kings one game away from elimination.
Game 3 was a much tighter affair than the series’ first two contests (6-3 and 7-2 San Jose routs), with each team matching the other goal for goal. Sharks rookie Tomas Hertl tied the score at three apiece near the midway mark of the third period, and goalies Jonathan Quick and Antti Niemi preserved that score through the end of regulation.
L.A. couldn’t push the puck past Niemi in overtime, though, and Patrick Marleau beat Quick with a wobbly, deflected shot six minutes into the extra session to seal the win for San Jose.
It’ll now be win or go home for Quick & Co. for the remainder of the series, beginning with Game 4 on Thursday night.
