Jeff Carter Lifts Los Angeles Kings Over San Jose Sharks

The scary part for anyone associated with team teal is the fact that numerous same issues that plagued this team in 2014-15 are starting to re-surface during their latest run of play.

Back to solving the identity crisis…

The Sharks seemed to sense a let down following the first, and another odd-man opportunity when too many men were caught down low allowed Jeff Carter to fire one between the legs of Jones.

Playing in a hostile environment against a team looking to snap a losing streak, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jhonas Enroth knew what to expect from the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. However, the line is going to be to chalky and I think the total is the better play and with Ward and Quick going it has to be the under.

“I figured they were going to come out pretty hard and try and shoot from everywhere because I hadn’t played yet, and that’s what they did”, he said. Teamed with Brent Burns, Martin had averaged almost 23 minutes of ice time per game in his first four contests with San Jose and was a major presence on the penalty kill unit.

“I knew Carts (Carter) and (Lucic) were jumping up in the rush”.

“He’s a big piece of it, obviously been together the five of us when we’re out there, we don’t even really think, to be honest with you”, center Joe Pavelski said.

“Yeah, I nearly toe-picked my first move”, Toffoli admitted.

He has scored in three straight games, tying a career high. The Kings capitalized on the Sharks mistakes in running out to a 3-0 lead, and the problems were the same that arose during the 4-0 defeat against the New York Rangers. Former draft pick Christian Ehrhoff stuck the Sharks with a shot from the point that Milan Lucic deflected past Jones.

“What was working for us when we were winning games a week ago…it’s not right now”, Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said.

That’s exactly what happened with big nights from Carter, Lucic and Toffoli and a few critical penalty-killing late in the second period when the Sharks had a five-on-three advantage for 33 seconds.

Thornton was cleared to play after passing concussion protocol tests and returned to the ice slightly more than three minutes into the second period, allaying any fears that the Sharks would lose another player to injury.

“It’s special because it’s the first game for me here”, Enroth said after the Kings’ morning skate. “That’s what they did”. I was ready for that. I mean, I’m sure we’ll wait and see how it feels tomorrow after the first actual practice with the guys. “When you don’t play that often, you just need to break the game down into shorter” stretches.

And he was sharp from the start, seeing the puck well and being strong in his position. But Sharks goalie Martin Jones let in four goals on the first 26 shots he faced, including a fluky power play goal in the third period by Carter in which his shot went wide of the net, bounced back, hit Jones on the shoulder and bounced into the net.