Kings top Sharks in 2nd straight shootout win

LOS ANGELES --Pheonix Copley made 23 saves and had an assist for the Los Angeles Kings in a 3-2 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.

It was Copley's fourth victory in five starts since being recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League on Dec. 1. He made 33 saves in a 3-2 shootout win at the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
"He's made some really big saves, he's made some simple easy saves," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "Obviously, in the shootout, he's had success back-to-back nights. Right now, he's running hot, and we'll likely keep going there."
Phillip Danault and Jaret Anderson-Dolan each scored for Los Angeles (17-12-5), which has won consecutive games for the first time since a four-game streak from Nov. 5-12.
"We had a character win tonight," Kings defenseman Jordan Spence said. "We just had to dig deep, and it came down to the shootout, and we won at the end of the day."

James Reimer made 39 saves, and Timo Meier had a goal and an assist for San Jose (10-16-6), which was denied what would have been its first three-game winning streak of the season.
"I thought we played OK. Wasn't our best game, but obviously frustrating when you have to go to penalty shots and lose it like that," Meier said.
Danault gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 5:54 of the first period, a backhand from the bottom of the right face-off circle. Copley was credited with the secondary assist.
The Sharks tied it 1-1 on Meier's 15th goal of the season at 13:23 when he scored into an open net at the right post after Logan Couture got the rebound of Erik Karlsson's one-timer from the point and made a pass across the crease.
Kevin Labanc gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead at 15:26 of the second period when he was left alone for a one-timer in the slot from Meier off the rush.
It was Meier's seventh multipoint game this season.
"We all know he's an elite player, and we need him to not only create offense but be a three-zone player, and he's taken some big strides," San Jose coach David Quinn said.

But Anderson-Dolan tied it 2-2 at 16:16 on Mikey Anderson's rebound from the slot.
"After we scored, they get one right back, so we have to do a better job of being ready and kind of locking it up and playing winning hockey," Meier said.
The Kings had to kill two penalties Meier drew late in the game, one against Kevin Fiala at 15:13 of the third period (hooking), and the other on Danault 17 seconds into overtime (slashing).
"Tonight, our penalty kill did a good job," McLellan said. "Really good in overtime. And when your special teams aren't elite, which the penalty kill is not right now, sometimes you lose a little confidence in it. I don't sense that."
Despite having to kill the penalty, Los Angeles outshot San Jose 7-0 in overtime.
Fiala and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings in a four-round shootout; Labanc scored for the Sharks.
NOTES: It was Copley's second NHL point and assist; his first was with the Washington Capitals in a 4-2 win at the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 6, 2018. … Anderson-Dolan has three points (two goals, one assist) in two games against the Sharks this season; four of his 10 NHL goals have come against them. … Karlsson had an assist for the sixth straight game. He has seven points (one goal, six assists) during that span.