WCSF Game 1: Quicks Shuts Down San Jose, Kings Take Series Lead

OVERALL RECAP

They had about the same distance to travel as in the Ottawa/Montreal series, yet you could visibly tell this was LA’s arena. Coming off the longest rest of the post season and the only sweep of the first round, the San Jose Sharks were immediately facing a tougher challenge. That challenges name was Jonathan Quick.

May 14, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings mascot Bailey holds up faces of Roy Scheider and Roy Scheider, stars of the original JAWS move behind the goal of San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31) in the third period of game one of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Staples Center. Kings won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Pictured Above: The Need For A Bigger Boat.

GAME RECAP

Despite being divisional rivals, this game felt like it started with a feeling out process. Shots were more or less limited throughout the first period, with each being held to 8 a piece. Not to say there wasn’t action, but Antti Niemi and Quick were keeping this thing solidly at 0-0. That is until the final minute of the first period. With 13 seconds on the clock Slava Voynov decides coverage is for weak willed people and skates up the lane completely untouched. From mid circle he blasts the puck through the crowd, giving the Kings a later period, early 1-0 lead.

The second period was a recovery, for the first portion. Both goalies came out playing Vezina worthy. All the offence in the first 10 minutes was shut down. Wrap arounds? Denied. 2 on 1? Denied. It didn’t matter the approach, nothing was getting through this duel. That is until Voynov decided he wanted more points on the board. Getting a cross blueline feed, Voynov dumps it in on net, Mike Richards jumps to get out of the shot’s way, deflects the puck off his skate blade and redirects it to the back of the net. The goal goes to Richards, and he just made Voynov’s list. Kings lead 2-0 heading in to the third period.

In the third San Jose has a bit of an awakening. The shots in the period, ended at 16-4 Sharks, which should give you some indication of how that period went. Pucks were being fired left and right, from goal mouth to goal line, but nothing could find its way passed Quick. The Sharks offense will sputter into game 2 with no points as they lose this game 2-0, and LA takes a 1-0 series lead.

SENSHOT 3 STARS

1 – Jonathan Quick

2 – Slava Voynov

3 – Antti Niemi