Kings 4, Sharks 3 (SO)
Dustin Brown scored twice in regulation and added the game winner in the fifth round of the shootout as the Los Angeles Kings earned a wild 4-3 home victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
After Dan Boyle and Jarret Stoll traded goals in the sudden death format, Brown put the Kings back in front by beating Sharks netminder Antti Niemi from in close. San Jose's Patrick Marleau, who forced extra time on a goal with five seconds left in the third period, was foiled on his attempt to hand the Kings the victory.
Willie Mitchell had the other regulation goal for Los Angeles, which kept pace with Nashville for fifth place in the Western Conference after the Predators edged Anaheim 5-4 earlier Thursday.
Marleau scored twice and Joe Pavelski added a first-period power-play goal for San Jose, which still moved up despite the loss. The single point pushed the Sharks into a tie with Detroit for second spot in the conference, though the Red Wings have a game in hand.
The Kings had thought they had the game wrapped up on two separate occasions. Leading 2-1 with less than four minutes remaining, L.A. saw its advantage evaporate when Marleau scored his 32nd of the season.
Brown's second of the game and 25th of the campaign on a power play restored the Kings' one-goal edge, but Marleau stunned the pro-Kings crowd with a wrist shot from in close that beat Jonathan Quick with the San Jose net empty in favor of an extra attacker.