Sharks vs Kings Showdown – Zetterlund Leads San Jose to Victory in Thrilling Matchup
In Los Angeles, Fabian Zetterlund led the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 victory over the struggling Los Angeles Kings on Monday night, January 22. Zetterlund played a crucial role by scoring the opening goal and later netting the decisive goal in a shootout.
The Sharks, who are currently ranked as the worst team in the NHL, secured their first road win against a Western Conference opponent this season. This win marked their second consecutive triumph.
Contributing to the Sharks’ success, William Eklund and Justin Bailey also scored during the regular game. The shootout saw goals from Logan Couture and Zetterlund, while goalie Kaapo Kahkonen made an impressive 44 saves and successfully blocked both of the Kings’ shooters in the tiebreaker.
The Kings, facing a challenging period with 11 losses in their last 13 games, found goals from Drew Doughty, Trevor Moore, and Quinton Byfield. David Rittich, the Kings’ goalie, made 24 saves. Doughty managed to level the game 3–all with a power-play slap shot during a 6-on-4 advantage late in the third period.
Although the game remained scoreless during overtime, Zetterlund secured the victory in the shootout. This came after Moore missed his attempt, and Adrian Kempe’s shot was stopped by Kahkonen.
In the second period, the Sharks took a 2–0 lead with goals from Zetterlund and Eklund. Moore responded for the Kings, narrowing the gap.
Zetterlund scored his second goal during a delayed penalty, and Eklund ended a goal-scoring drought by finishing off a rush. Moore provided a spark for the Kings, beating Kahkonen at the far post.
Byfield tied the game at 2 early in the second period, scoring his fourth goal in six games. Bailey’s breakaway goal put the Sharks back in front, but Doughty’s late goal forced the game into a shootout.
The Sharks faced a setback as defenseman Mario Ferraro was injured in a hit by Kings center Trevor Lewis and did not return. Kings defenseman Matt Roy was a late scratch due to his wife giving birth earlier in the day.
The Sharks’ victory is a notable achievement, marking their first road win in the Western Conference and extending their winning streak to two games.
Up Next:
The Sharks will play against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
The Kings will have a game against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Meet Jim Korner, the dynamic face of news at NewsPyper. From decoding weather mysteries to simplifying finance and adding zest to sports reporting, Jim’s your one-stop anchor. With a knack for making news easy and fun, he’s the go-to guy for a quick, reliable update on weather, finance, and sports. Tune in to Jim Korner for news that’s clear, engaging, and always on the mark.
