The Los Angeles Kings defenseman Andreas Englund (5) congratulates goaltender David Rittich (31) after defeating the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center in San Jose on Tue Dec 19, 2023 (AP News photo)
Tuesday, December 19th, 2023
By Troy Ewers
San Jose, CA – The San Jose Sharks have played in six consecutive one-goal games over the club’s last seven contests, earning points in four of the last five (3-1-1) as part of the team’s hot December run. Following San Jose’s 1-0 loss Friday at Arizona (Dec. 15), the Sharks got trounced by the Avalanche 6-2 and hope to turn it around before the holidays as they face the Los Angeles Kings in the SAP Center.
The Sharks and Kings went almost the whole period scoreless, but even in almost every category. That stalemate between these two rivals finally came to an end when the Kings were able to generate a smooth line of offense that resulted in Arthur Kaliyev getting the puck behind the net and he found Anza Kopitar in the slot area with a wide open wrist shot past Kaapo Kahkonen. 1-0 Kings.
The period was majority even until the goal 18 minutes in, but after that it the Kings held the lead on the scoreboard and in the shots on goal stat line with 12 compared to the Sharks’ five.
Sharks couldn’t generate anyhing going in the second period, especially compared to the Kings. Four minutes into the period, Trevor Moore assisted by Kevin Fiala, who now has 23 assists and Phillip Danault who now has 12. 2-0 Kings.
A minute later the Kings continued their assault as a shot from Kopitar was deflected by Alex Laferriere in the net and it was 3-0. The Sharks looked out of it in the second period, but the crowd was still in it and rooting for their boys in teal no matter how ugly it looked.
The air was sucked out of the room during the period. The only time the crowd came alive was when the puck looked like it was going in the net, but Kings goalie David Rittich gloved it right before it crossed the line. Another time the crowd came alive was when Fabian Zetterlund looked like he was about to get the Sharks first goal of the night, but the puck hit the post and it went right back to a silent night ironically.
The time kept ticking, but the score stayed the same for the majority of the period. An empty net goal from Trevor Lewis made it 4-0 and immediately after that the Sharks finally got one on the board with a slap shot by Jacob MacDonald, his fifth of the season. 4-1 and that was the final score as the final buzzer sounded.
The Sharks take another crushing loss this season and their next game will be on December 21st, back in the SAP Center and the Sharks have a lot to evaluate before they go into the holiday break.










