Tyler Toffoli’s third period goal proved decisive on Tuesday night as San Jose Sharks defeated Los Angeles Kings 4-2 with Jake Walman playing an instrumental role by recording back-to-back three point performances en route to victory. This victory marked an exciting turning point in their season after starting slowly; and marked Jake Walman as key contributor with back-to-back three point performances of his own en route to becoming one of their key contributors.
Walman Shines Again
Jake Walman played an essential role in this game for San Jose Sharks, not only scoring one goal himself but assisting on two others as Fabian Zetterlund scored late in the third period to make things 2-0 for San Jose. Following three assists against Utah the previous night and an emphatic 5-4 overtime victory on Wednesday night, Walman continued proving himself valuable to team. William Eklund added another empty-net goal and Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves to seal their success and seal their win for victory!
The Kings managed to keep the score competitive with goals from Akil Thomas and Alex Laferriere, while their goaltender, David Rittich, stopped 17 shots.
Game Highlights
Despite aiming for their fifth victory in six games, the Kings were at a disadvantage without Kevin Fiala, who was sidelined due to a breach of team protocol. Ethan Cardwell made his NHL debut for the Sharks, stepping onto the ice for nearly 12 minutes after being called up earlier that day due to Ty Dellandrea’s injury.
Game-Changing Moment
Tyler Toffoli’s season-sixth goal, a skillful backhander late in the game, broke the 2-2 tie and propelled the Sharks to a lead they would not relinquish. Walman’s setup for Toffoli’s goal was a highlight moment of the match.
Significant Stat
Both teams struggled on their power play, going 0 for 10 with six opportunities each for Kings and four opportunities for Sharks respectively failing to convert any points on either of their power plays.
Looking Ahead
The Kings will look to return to form when hosting Vegas on Wednesday evening and Chicago on Thursday night respectively. The Sharks should look forward to competing against both rival teams during this series of matches.