Kings 1, Sharks 2

Pre-Game:
These game-day emails the Kings send out have some pretty awesome pictures sometimes. Today we have the Sharks and for some reason... I have to laugh every time I look at these. Soupy, that teal really brings out the color of... your hair. Jon, you look silly. Patty, you have... quite a long neck.

1st Period:
- Ohhhh, we got Clouts in net! Oh, and Brian Boucher for the Sharks...who??
- Going along with the track record of the visiting team winning these matchups, the odds are against the Kings coming out with 2 points tonight.
- Dallman and Blake have great hits in the corners in the first couple of minutes and Cloutier is making some solid saves. The Sharks aren't applying too much pressure in the neutral zone so it's looking pretty evenly matched up in the first half of the period.
- Just under 7 minutes left, the Kings have 3 chances in a row and Grier gets a delay of game penalty against him. Kings PP - Blake gets a penalty and it's 4-on-4 (Marc Crawford has the most atrocious shirt and tie ensemble). Peter Harrold takes a shift on the 4-on-4 and runs into Vish. C'mon, rookie...take a shift without making a mistake, you can do it. Ellis takes a penalty and the Sharks are on an extended power play.
- Sharks Goal - How was Thornton was left open down low? Upon replay we see that Preissing leaves Mr. Junk in the Trunk and goes after a puck (17:09).

2nd Period:
- McLaren boards Brownie and the Kings are on the PP. Nothing exciting here, moving along.
- There was a penalty on Dallman, but while that was being called, Cloutier made a CLUTCH save. I would have been so much more impressed if the play hadn't been whistled down.
- Kings PP - WHY IS DALLMAN ON THE POWER PLAY?!?! Mitchell comes out of the penalty box and gets a break away pass, but Clouts makes the save. Geez...
- The Kings spend about one hour in the neutral making the softest passes I've ever seen. The Sharks get back to the Kings' zone and Setoguchi gets called for interference. Oh man, Cloutier went and had some words with Jody Shelley on the Sharks bench during the time out. Fantastic. But the Kings have had 4 PP opportunities and haven't taken advantage to get on the scoreboard.
- Sharks Goal - Rissmiller barrels in on Clouts with Preissing on him, but he gets his own rebound and gets it past Cloutier (16:23).
- Shots on: Kings 22, Sharks 20

3rd Period:
- Jim Fox mentioned that JJ wasn't on the bench and I see that he's only played 9:46. During the first period he blocked a shot that hit the inside of his right foot, so now Dallman's getting more minutes and Klemm's playing defense. Interesting.
- 8 minutes to go and... I am bored. The Kings aren't being completely dominated but they're not creating anything either. Helmetless Cheechoo gets rocked by Calder and Blake, kinda scary but funny at the same time. Time is ticking along and the Kings look like they have lead in their skates.

(AP Photo/Francis Specker)

I really have no caption for this; suggestions?

- Kings Goal - I SPOKE TOO SOON. Lubo (7) gets the puck out on the point and bombs a shot through traffic and nets one so the Kings don't get shut out. Cool... (15:13). This sparks a switch and the Kings start to play hockey! They're attacking and spending more time in the offensive zone and get 8 shots on this period to the Sharks 3.

Game:
Kings 1, Sharks 2. This continues the trend of beating each other in each other's houses. This loss has put the kings officially out of playoff contention. And.... I'm going to bed.