San Jose Sharks Top Playoff Moments: How It Began

Quite possibly the most back-and-forth game of the playoffs came when the Sharks’ Stanley Cup Final run began in Game 1 against the Kings.

9. Sharks Battle Back Twice, Hold On In Game 1 Vs. Kings

The San Jose Sharks and its fans entered the postseason knowing they had a strong team that may have been overlooked by the rest of the league, yet knew a first-round exit against their Pacific Division rival Los Angeles Kings was a real possibility if team teal didn’t perform up to par.

Game 1 did not disappoint, turning out to be a nail-biter and possibly the most competitive non-overtime game of the playoffs for the Sharks. The two teams finished one shot-on-goal apart.

The worst start a team opening the postseason on the road can have is an early goal for the home team, leading to a wild crowd, and that’s precisely what happened. Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin scored 2:53 into the opening period to give his team the early lead following a dominant opening few shifts.

Then, the Kings took a penalty and gave the Sharks their first power-play of the playoffs, which –  just as San Jose’s next two opponents found out – was a very bad idea.

Joe Pavelski began his 14 goal-postseason by slapping a one-timer past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick to tie things up. The Sharks then scored their second straight goal early in the second period off the stick of Brent Burns.

But a Joel Ward interference penalty just after the goal would turn out to be costly, as Kings forward Jeff Carter scored less than a minute after the Burns goal to again tie the game at two.

A few more penalties commenced following the goal, however one of them would lead to a goal for the wrong team. Trevor Lewis converted on a shorthanded breakaway opportunity to give the home team the lead for the second time on the night.

While Staples Center fans were still cheering on the go-ahead tally, just like that it was a tie game for the third time on a Tomas Hertl goal 30 seconds later.

And again, before spectators could take their seat returning from the concessions, Pavelski scored his second of the night on a beautiful and determined wraparound effort, giving the Sharks the lead again only 17 seconds after the second intermission.

Team teal desperately held on for almost the entirety of the third period for the crucial Game 1 road win. The Sharks didn’t even contribute anything in the play-by-play in the final four-and-a-half minutes of the game with the Kings attempting the final five shots of the period.

Next: Top Playoff Moment #10 - Captain Clutch Delivers

You won’t last long in the playoffs without being able to win on the road, yet the Sharks survived the regular season and the matchup against the Kings solely because they were so good away from the SAP Center. Additionally, earning a win and gaining the edge early on in the series was important against the team they were bounced by in the 2013 and 2014 playoffs.

The Sharks fought back from being down twice on the road against their bitter rival in Game 1, and that resolve became San Jose’s MO throughout the course of their Stanley Cup Final run.