Sharks lose to Kings, fail to keep pace in Pacific, West

LOS ANGELES --The San Jose Sharks lost ground in the race for first place in the Pacific Division and Western Conference with a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Thursday.

San Jose is five points behind the Calgary Flames, who defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-1 on Thursday. Each team has eight games remaining, with the Sharks hosting the Flames on March 31.
"We saw how Calgary is playing right now and we have to step it up," Sharks forward Tomas Hertl said. "It's the time of the year we have to be ready because the playoffs are coming very soon. It doesn't matter who we are missing. Everybody has to step up and play a little bit better and it kind of wasn't our game. L.A. was all over us, and it's a tough loss for us tonight."
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Matt Roy scored his first NHL goal and Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist for the Kings (26-39-8), who ended a five-game losing streak at home. Dustin Brown scored for the third consecutive game, and Jonathan Quick made 23 saves.
"Winning's a lot more fun that losing, and we've done a lot of losing this year," Brown said.
Hertl and Barclay Goodrow scored for the Sharks (43-23-8), who have lost four straight games in regulation for the first time this season. Martin Jones made 31 saves.
Brent Burns had an assist to tie his NHL career high in points and match the Sharks record for points in a season by a defenseman with 76 (13 goals, 63 assists). He also had 76 points in 2016-17.

Kopitar put the Kings up 3-2 at 11:45 of the third period after Roy tied the game 2-2 on a shot from the blue line at 9:28. The Sharks overpursued trying to get the puck off the wall in their own defensive zone, and Alex Iafallo was able to chip it to Kopitar for a breakaway to score his 21st goal.
Jeff Carter scored a shorthanded goal into an empty net at 18:43 for the 4-2 final.
Evander Kane said the Sharks did not bring the right attitude into the third period despite holding a 2-1 lead after Hertl got his 32nd goal at 3:45 of the second period.
"It's not necessarily a lack of urgency going into the game but periods in the game where we I think are maybe a little too relaxed," Kane said. "And that was a prime example going into the third period. We need to push to get that next goal and be harder to play against on the defensive side of the puck."
The Kings took a 1-0 lead at 5:19 of the first period. Brown scored on a shot from the left circle, with Iafallo setting a screen. Brown has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past three games, and he has scored a goal in four of his past five.

The Sharks challenged for goaltender interference by Iafallo, but the goal was upheld following video review.
The Sharks tied it 1-1 at 17:33 when Goodrow redirected Marc-Edouard Vlasic's shot from the blue line.

They said it

"We're getting a little beat up, but you can't use excuses this time of year and we need some guys to find another level this year for us. You need someone to give you a first star performance either in net or up front, somewhere to stop the bleeding, and we haven't got that." -- Sharks coach Peter DeBoer
"I don't even know if my family saw it. It's a little late Eastern time for them, but maybe tomorrow morning I'll text them." -- Kings defenseman Matt Roy

Need to know

Sharks forward Logan Couture did not play because of flu-like symptoms. … Kings forward Brendan Leipsic did not play in the third period after sustaining a lower-body injury. … Kopitar scored his 48th game-winning goal to move past Dave Taylor for third all-time in Kings history behind Luc Robitaille (73) and Marcel Dionne (59). … Roy has three points (one goal, two assists) in his past four games. … Iafallo had two assists. … Vlasic reached the 20-assist mark for the fourth straight season and the sixth time in 13 NHL seasons. … Sharks defenseman Joakim Ryan played his 100th NHL game.

What's next

Sharks:At the Anaheim Ducks on Friday (10 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, FS-W, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)
Kings: Host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, PRIME, NHL.TV)