5. Sharks Dispatch Kings In Five Games
After hanging on in Game 4, San Jose looked to finish off the Kings in Los Angeles. Team teal got off to a great start as Joonas Donskoi fired the Sharks into the lead more than a minute into the contest, and Chris Tierney would double San Jose’s lead midway through the opening 20 minutes.
When Matt Nieto scored early in the second period, the Sharks appeared to be on cruise control. However, the Kings would storm back and score three consecutive goals in the middle frame to leave things deadlocked heading into the third period.
But San Jose came out and established themselves once again in the final 20 minutes of play. Donskoi would score his second of the night to give the Sharks the lead for good, and Joe Pavelski would provide the insurance marker with around seven minutes remaining as team teal would get their revenge on their rivals, dispatching L.A. by a 6-3 final in Game 5 to take the series and begin their playoff quest on the right foot.
It was a huge stepping stone for this group to really dominate the Kings in the first round and put to bed all the questions surrounding their collapse in 2014. This series really set the stage for the upcoming playoff run the Sharks went on.