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Sharks ride momentum into Game 5 win; Kings find themselves down 3-1

Devin Setoguchi, Jonathan Quick

San Jose Sharks right wing Devin Setoguchi, left, tries to get a shot in on Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick during the third period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, Thursday, April 21, 2011, in Los Angeles. The Sharks won 6-3. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

AP

The San Jose Sharks rode the momentum of their dramatic Game 3 comeback and another busy second period to earn a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. These two road wins give the Sharks a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Some might reflexively wonder if the Kings were “broken” by that Game 3 loss, but if you ask me, it’s all about San Jose’s superior talent taking over.

San Jose 6, Los Angeles 3; Sharks lead series 3-2

While it couldn’t beat that insane seven-goal second period from Game 3, the middle frame was the story of this game as well. The two teams skated to a 0-0 tie in the first period before the Sharks stormed to a 3-0 lead thanks to one goal by Jason Demers and two by Ryane Clowe.

This time around, Kings coach Terry Murray decided to take a time out, which paid off for the Kings in the short term. Brad Richardson and Justin Williams scored goals to make it 3-2 going into the second intermission.

That was as close as the Kings would get, though. Joe Thornton scored a goal and then blew a kiss, which was a surprising moment considering the fact that Jumbo Joe has been such a target for playoff criticism over the years. It ended up being a safe move, though, as Joe Pavelski made it 5-2 less than a minute later. Torrey Mitchell and Alexei Ponikarovsky exchanged goals late in the third to make it 6-3.

The Sharks have gone from being worried about another upset to being in a position to end this series fairly quickly with Game 5 back at the HP Pavilion.

While Los Angeles has to be down in the dumps, their collective heart shouldn’t be questioned. Honestly, the only thing I questioned is the pace of this series from the Kings’ perspective. It’s been fantastic, frantic hockey to watch ... but is this the type of game that really suits their situation?

All positivity aside, the Kings had a chance to take a 3-1 series lead with two games at home. Instead, they are in the opposite situation. That’s disappointing, even if it might be part of a growing process for a young and promising team.