LA Kings coach Jim Hiller expressed frustration after a 7-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks. The Kings gave up five goals in the third period, which Hiller points out where the team needs to get better.
In his response to media after the game, Hiller said, per insider William Espy:
"You’ve gotta be better. Everybody. It’s not just one guy, it's not one line, it's not a defense pair. It's not just the goalie."
Macklin Celebrini led the Sharks with two goals and an assist. Fabian Zetterlund, Alex Wennberg and Luke Kunin also scored. Yaroslav Askarov made 22 saves in his first win with the Sharks. San Jose broke a three-game losing streak with the win.
The Kings were tied 2-2 heading into the third period but couldn’t keep up. Anze Kopitar scored and had an assist, and Brandt Clarke added a goal. However, their defense and goaltending struggled in the final period.
Hiller also praised the Sharks, saying they are a strong team.
"I think one thing people have to understand is, you shouldn't disrespect this team," Hiller said. "That's not a team that's trying to tank, that's a good hockey team, strong players, real good back end. We played them three times. They beat us twice, and we barely beat them at home. So I want to give them the respect they deserve."
The loss leaves the Kings with a 5-5-0 record in their last 10 games.
The LA Kings will look to bounce back from this tough loss. They will play their next game against Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday. The game will start at 7:00 PM PST.
San Jose Sharks' third-period dominance left LA Kings hopeless
The San Jose Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 1:47 in the first period. Nico Sturm scored after a pass from Mario Ferraro. The LA Kings tied it 1-1 at 2:32 in the second period. Brandt Clarke scored with a shot from the slot, assisted by Adrian Kempe.
Anze Kopitar gave the Kings a 2-1 lead at 8:58. He tapped in a rebound from Kempe's shots. Fabian Zetterlund tied it 2-2 at 13:59. He scored a wraparound goal, assisted by William Eklund.
In the third period, Macklin Celebrini gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead at 1:03. Timothy Liljegren made it 4-2 at 3:14. Celebrini scored again on the power play at 3:43, making it 5-2. Alex Wennberg added another at 10:46. Luke Kunin scored at 18:39, finishing the game 7-2.