Kings claim OT win on Pearson's goal
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Tanner Pearson capped a two-on-one break with a goal 58 seconds into overtime and the Los Angeles Kings beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Tuesday night at sold-out SAP Center.
Pearson tapped in Jeff Carter's cross-ice feed with only Sharks defenseman Justin Braun back as San Jose's Logan Couture committed a costly turnover in the visitors' zone.
The Kings tied the score 1-1 at 3:03 of the third period and 1:14 into their third power play of the game. Carter scored his 21st goal of the season -- and seventh in seven games -- by redirecting a shot-pass from defenseman Jake Muzzin after San Jose defenseman Justin Braun hooked Carter.
The Sharks put 13 shots on Kings goalie Peter Budaj in the third period, the same number they combined for in the first two periods. Los Angeles owned a 34-26 edge in shots through regulation.
The Sharks took a 1-0 lead into the third period on the strength of Logan Couture's 12th goal of the season despite getting outplayed and outshot 24-13 after 40 minutes.
Rooke forward Kevin Labanc started the scoring sequence with a nice short pass from along the boards to spring Couture past pinching Kings defenseman Alec Martinez and across the Los Angeles line two-on-two.
Couture veered toward the slot to create more of a shooting angle and his wrister rolled up and under the right arm of Budaj at 11:56. The goal came on San Jose's 10th shot.
Couture just missed connecting with Joonas Donskoi earlier in the period. Couture picked off a Martinez clearing attempt and fed Donskoi, who slipped behind the Kings' defense but was denied in close by Budaj at 3:17.
Los Angeles thought it tied the score on the power play, but Kings forward Marian Gaborik was judged to have batted in a rebound of Martinez's wrist shot at 14:53.
The Kings had another golden chance inside the final 20 seconds, but Jones made a glove stop on Anze Kopitar, who went to the backhand on a short-handed breakaway after a Patrick Marleau turnover.
The Kings, who defeated San Jose 3-2 on Saturday, picked right up again in the scoreless first period by outshooting the Sharks 16-6.
NOTES: With Sharks D Marc-Edouard Vlasic on injured reserve and D David Schlemko sidelined with an upper-body injury, D Mirco Mueller was recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League and made his season debut. Mueller had eight assists in 25 games with the Barracuda at the time of his recall. Mueller appeared in his first NHL game since San Jose's season finale on April 9. He brought 50 games of experience spread over the last two years into the game. Vlasic can return from injured reserve as early as Saturday after getting struck in the mouth by a deflected puck Friday. Schlemko is day to day after getting injured Saturday in Los Angeles. ... G Peter Budaj started his fifth straight game and appeared in his ninth of the Kings' last 10. He had two shutouts and allowed two or fewer goals in his previous eight games. ... San Jose hosts Minnesota on Thursday. Los Angeles entertains Detroit the same night. ... The Kings were missing LW Tyler Toffoli (lower body) and G Jonathan Quick (groin). D Matt Greene, D Tom Gilbert and C Andy Andreoff were healthy scratches. ... D Dylan DeMelo replaced Schlemko and was paired with Mueller. LW Matt Nieto and C Tommy Wingels were healthy scratches for the Sharks.