Kings pull away in third, hold on for 4-3 win over Sharks

Published Jan. 12, 2023 1:02 a.m. ET

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist, Gabe Vilardi and Drew Doughty scored in the third period, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Adrian Kempe also had a goal, Pheonix Copley make 26 saves, and the Kings won their third straight game while improving to 10-2-1 in their past 13.

Timo Meier had a goal and an assist, Alexander Barabanov and Nick Bonino also scored, but the Sharks couldn’t sweep back-to-back games after winning at Arizona on Tuesday. James Reimer had 33 saves.

Vilardi alertly redirected Sean Durzi’s shot from the left point to put the Kings ahead 3-2 with 7:20 to go in the third period.

Doughty finished off an odd-man rush with 6:27 left for the 4-2 advantage before Barabanov scored with 2:06 remaining, but the Sharks couldn’t come up with another goal to snatch a point.

Meier tied it 2-all with 9:49 remaining in the third. He beat Copley on a wrist shot from the left circle on the power play for his 24th goal.

The Kings’ top line combined for the opening goal 5:59 into the game. Kempe buried his team-leading 18th goal from the top of the paint off an alert pass from Byfield, who build up speed from the neutral zone to get behind the net.

Bonino capitalized on a gaffe by Copley to tie it at 1 1:20 into the second. Unable to cleanly catch Erik Karlsson’s shot off a faceoff win, Copley tried to sweep the puck away with his stick, only to send it right to Bonino. He picked up his fifth goal with a backhand from the right circle.

Byfield put the Kings up 2-1 at 6:58 of the second period, scoring his first goal in 16 games this season by chopping down Mikey Anderson’s shot from the point.

WORTH NOTING

Sharks D Scott Harrington missed the final two periods because of an undisclosed injury. … Kings F Viktor Arvidsson did not play because of a non-COVID illness.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Host Edmonton on Friday night.

Kings: Host New Jersey on Friday night.

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