By the numbers: Sharks vs. Kings, Game 3

Scoring chances, zone entries, zone exits and more from the Sharks' 4-3 overtime victory over the Kings in Game 3 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal series.

Scoring Chances

Complete scoring chance summary

Team Period Time Note Home Away State
Home 1 19:15 Carter from Doughty, save (5v4 PP) 8 11 12 26 32 77 5 8 12 31 44 5v4
Away 1 16:45 Burns one-timer from Thornton, goal (5v4 PP) 11 22 26 32 44 8 12 19 22 31 88 4v5
Away 1 15:32 Burns from Thornton, miss 6 8 10 32 71 74 7 19 31 48 61 88 5v5
Away 1 14:36 Nieto one-timer from Marleau, save 23 26 28 32 44 70 5 12 31 39 44 83 5v5
Home 1 14:17 Pearson backhand from Stoll, save 23 26 28 32 44 70 5 12 31 39 44 83 5v5
Away 1 8:35 Hertl from Thornton, save 11 12 14 27 32 33 5 19 31 44 48 83 5v5
Away 1 5:58 Nieto rebound from Couture, save 6 11 12 14 26 32 12 22 31 39 61 83 5v5
Home 1 3:15 Kopitar, save (5v4 PP) 8 11 12 32 44 77 7 12 31 57 61 5v4
Away 1 0:12 Hannan rebound from Boyle, save 6 8 11 12 14 32 8 19 22 27 31 57 5v5
Home 2 16:32 Gaborik from Doughty, miss (5v4 PP) 8 11 12 26 32 77 7 8 12 31 61 5v4
Home 2 15:13 Stoll one-timer from Toffoli, goal (5v4 PP) 8 27 28 32 70 73 27 31 39 44 57 5v4
Home 2 12:02 Gaborik backhand on 3on2, goal 12 14 27 28 32 33 10 22 27 31 48 88 5v5
Away 2 11:50 Burns backhand from Thornton, save 6 8 11 12 14 32 19 22 27 31 48 88 5v5
Away 2 11:49 Hertl rebound from Burns, save 6 8 11 12 14 32 19 22 27 31 48 88 5v5
Away 2 10:44 Nieto deflection from Demers, goal 22 26 32 44 73 77 5 12 31 39 44 83 5v5
Away 2 6:25 Desjardins, save 6 8 22 32 73 77 10 13 27 31 61 88 5v5
Home 2 2:21 Martinez from Nolan, save 10 27 32 33 71 74 10 13 18 27 31 44 5v5
Home 2 0:27 Gaborik from Kopitar, goalpost (5v4 PP) 8 11 12 27 32 77 7 12 31 39 61 5v4
Home 3 19:10 Carter deflection from Kopitar, goal (5v4 PP) 11 12 26 32 44 77 5 19 31 44 88 5v4
Away 3 15:41 Pavelski one-timer from Boyle, miss (5v4 PP) 22 26 28 32 44 8 12 19 22 31 88 4v5
Home 3 14:57 Gaborik from Kopitar, save 6 8 11 12 14 32 7 13 31 39 61 83 5v5
Home 3 14:02 King, save 10 23 27 32 33 74 7 19 31 48 61 88 5v5
Away 3 13:48 Burns one-timer from Thornton, save 10 23 27 32 33 74 19 31 44 48 61 88 5v5
Away 3 10:47 Hertl rebound from Vlasic, save (5v4 PP) 8 10 32 33 77 5 31 39 44 48 57 4v5
Away 3 10:45 Hertl rebound, save 8 10 27 32 33 77 5 31 39 44 48 57 5v5
Away 3 10:44 Hertl rebound, goal 8 10 27 32 33 77 5 31 39 44 48 57 5v5
Home 3 8:00 Richards deflection from Carter, save 10 27 32 33 74 77 5 8 15 31 44 57 5v5
Home 3 7:59 Richards rebound, miss 10 27 32 33 74 77 5 8 15 31 44 57 5v5
Away 3 7:33 Thornton rebound from Burns, miss 6 8 11 12 14 32 19 22 27 31 48 88 5v5
Away 3 7:31 Burns from Thornton, save 6 8 11 12 14 32 19 22 27 31 48 88 5v5
Home 3 7:11 Pearson on 2on1, save 23 26 28 32 44 70 7 12 31 39 61 83 5v5
Away 3 3:06 Boyle from Hertl, save 6 8 11 12 14 32 8 22 27 31 48 88 5v5
Away 3 1:14 Pavelski one-timer from Marleau, save (5v4 PP) 8 22 23 32 33 8 12 19 22 31 88 4v5
Away 3 0:13 Couture rebound from Demers, save (5v4 PP) 10 26 32 44 77 5 31 39 44 48 57 4v5
Home 4 18:44 Toffoli backhand from Carter, save 10 26 32 44 73 77 5 12 31 39 44 83 5v5
Home 4 17:08 Gaborik from Richards, save 6 8 10 12 14 32 7 12 19 31 61 83 5v5
Away 4 13:41 Marleau backhand from Pavelski, goal 10 22 26 32 44 73 8 12 27 31 39 61 5v5

On-ice scoring chances, for and against

# Player EV PP SH
5 DEMERS, JASON 17:18 5 4 02:07 2 0 01:37 0 2
7 STUART, BRAD 17:18 1 4 00:00 0 0 04:48 0 3
8 PAVELSKI, JOE 15:21 3 2 04:08 3 0 02:26 0 2
10 DESJARDINS, ANDREW 09:54 1 2 00:00 0 0 00:29 0 0
12 MARLEAU, PATRICK 15:27 4 4 04:08 3 0 03:51 0 4
13 TORRES, RAFFI 09:32 1 2 00:00 0 0 00:00 0 0
15 SHEPPARD, JAMES 12:52 0 2 00:00 0 0 00:00 0 0
18 BROWN, MIKE 07:37 0 1 00:00 0 0 00:00 0 0
19 THORNTON, JOE 15:57 8 2 04:37 3 0 00:07 0 1
22 BOYLE, DAN 18:44 7 1 04:41 3 0 00:00 0 0
27 HANNAN, SCOTT 17:30 8 2 00:00 0 0 00:36 0 1
31 NIEMI, ANTTI 16 10 5 0 0 6
39 COUTURE, LOGAN 15:00 6 4 02:01 2 0 03:53 0 2
44 VLASIC, MARC-EDOUARD 17:53 6 5 01:30 2 0 02:30 0 3
48 HERTL, TOMAS 12:58 10 2 01:36 2 0 00:00 0 0
57 WINGELS, TOMMY 14:10 3 2 02:01 2 0 02:32 0 2
61 BRAUN, JUSTIN 16:49 5 4 00:00 0 0 05:05 0 3
83 NIETO, MATT 15:31 4 5 00:00 0 0 01:11 0 0
88 BURNS, BRENT 14:24 8 2 04:06 3 0 00:07 0 1

Team scoring chance totals

Period Totals EV 5v4 PP 5v3 PP 4v5 SH 3v5 SH
1 6 3 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
2 4 5 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
3 10 6 6 5 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
4 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ovr 21 16 16 10 5 0 0 0 0 5 0 0

Head-to-head scoring chances

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There's no question the Kings were more competitive (and more closely resembled the Kings team we expected to see coming into this series) in Game 3 than in the two games in San Jose and the scoring chances bear that out, although it's worth noting L.A.'s edge in territory was completely reversed when it came to generating quality looks. But the most significant advantage of playing on home ice—last change—didn't really work out for the Kings the way Darryl Sutter had to expect it would. Anze Kopitar was hard-matched against Joe Thornton as opposed to Logan Couture, who draws him in San Jose, but was absolutely crushed at even-strength. With Kopitar on the ice five aside, the Sharks outchanced the Kings 8-1 (and outshot them 15-4) largely thanks to a signature performance by Tom, Dick & Hairy with the latter in particular putting in a dominant effort.

Brent Burns was his typical monstrous self on the forecheck and was probably the key reason the Thornton line was generally the one to take charge and turn the tide in the Sharks' favor when the team was being repeatedly hemmed in its own zone early in the second period. Todd McLellan commented after Game 2 that he believes Pavelski is at his best at center—where he's spent the vast majority of his shifts in this series since the start of the second period in that game—but it was difficult for him to take a 40-goal scorer off the top line. I have to think watching what Hertl, Thornton and Burns were able to do in the offensive zone last night has to somewhat change McLellan's thinking there. Those three were just as effective as some of Pavelski/Thornton/Burns' best games in the second half of the regular season. Burns alone had five scoring chances in Game 3 and now has 16 shots on goal in the series.

5-on-5 Zone Entries


# Player Overall Entries Shots Per Overall Entry Controlled Entries Shots Per Controlled Entry % Of Entries With Control
5 DEMERS, JASON 1 1 0 0 0
7 STUART, BRAD 4 0.75 0 0 0
8 PAVELSKI, JOE 6 0.33 3 0.67 50
10 DESJARDINS, ANDREW 4 0 2 0 50
12 MARLEAU, PATRICK 6 1.83 3 1.33 50
13 TORRES, RAFFI 3 0 2 0 66.7
15 SHEPPARD, JAMES 3 0 2 0 66.7
18 BROWN, MIKE 0 0 0 0 0
19 THORNTON, JOE 8 0.38 4 0.5 50
22 BOYLE, DAN 1 0 1 0 100
27 HANNAN, SCOTT 3 0.67 2 0 66.7
39 COUTURE, LOGAN 7 0.57 5 0.8 57.1
44 VLASIC, MARC-EDOUARD 3 0 0 0 0
48 HERTL, TOMAS 4 0.5 3 0.67 75
57 WINGELS, TOMMY 7 0.29 3 0.67 42.9
61 BRAUN, JUSTIN 3 0.677 2 1 66.7
83 NIETO, MATT 7 0.29 3 0.67 42.9
88 BURNS, BRENT 3 1 2 1.5 66.7
Sharks Overall 73 0.51 37 0.62 50.7
Kings Overall 64 0.44 36 0.56 56.3

While the Sharks were somewhat permissive at their defensive blueline, they made up for it by generating more overall entries than the Kings; something that rarely happens against Los Angeles. To the Kings' credit they tightened up quite a bit in the neutral zone compared to Games 1 and 2 and allowed far fewer odd-man rushes, a big reason the Sharks' shots-per-controlled-entry rate dipped substantially in this one.

That did not apply, however, to when Patrick Marleau was the one gaining the blueline either with control of the puck or without. San Jose averaged a whopping 1.8 shots when Marleau was the one driving play into the offensive zone with the game-winner in overtime set up by a strategically-placed Marleau dump-in.

On the flip side, James Sheppard as well as the fourth line struggled to get much going offensively as evidenced by the scoring chance and zone entry numbers. There isn't really a compelling reason for Todd McLellan to change anything, especially now that Joe Pavelski looks to be cemented as the third-line center, but I wonder if he'll swap Sheppard and Raffi Torres either tomorrow night or in the second round assuming the Sharks advance. Torres has proven in the past he can play with skill players (and Pavelski and Wingels specifically) and has unquestionably better finishing ability and puck skills than Sheppard, who's ultimately best-suited for a fourth line role.

I'd be remiss if I didn't include a GIF (via Thomas Drance) of the greatest zone entry of this series to date:

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Never change, Robyn Regehr.

5-on-5 Zone Exits


# Player Touches In-Zone Passes Carry-Out Pass-Out Turnover Icing Overall Success % Exit Success %
5 DEMERS, JASON 14 8 2 0 4 0 14.3 33.3
7 STUART, BRAD 20 8 2 2 6 2 20.0 33.3
8 PAVELSKI, JOE 10 1 2 4 3 0 60.0 66.7
10 DESJARDINS, ANDREW 6 1 2 1 2 0 50.0 60.0
12 MARLEAU, PATRICK 5 1 1 1 2 0 40.0 50.0
13 TORRES, RAFFI 2 0 1 0 1 0 50.0 50.0
15 SHEPPARD, JAMES 9 5 2 1 1 0 33.3 75.0
18 BROWN, MIKE 3 0 1 0 2 0 33.3 33.3
19 THORNTON, JOE 7 3 3 0 1 0 42.9 75.0
22 BOYLE, DAN 19 12 2 2 3 0 21.1 57.1
27 HANNAN, SCOTT 12 6 1 1 4 0 16.7 33.3
39 COUTURE, LOGAN 9 3 0 2 4 0 22.2 33.3
44 VLASIC, MARC-EDOUARD 22 13 3 2 4 0 22.7 55.6
48 HERTL, TOMAS 12 1 5 0 6 0 41.7 45.5
57 WINGELS, TOMMY 3 0 1 1 1 0 66.7 66.7
61 BRAUN, JUSTIN 17 10 2 1 3 1 17.6 42.9
83 NIETO, MATT 14 1 2 4 6 1 42.9 46.2
88 BURNS, BRENT 3 1 1 1 0 0 66.7 100.0
Overall 187 74 33 23 53 4 36.8 53.2

This wasn't a great game for the Sharks' blueline as a whole. San Jose's six defensemen had 47 clear attempts to exit the defensive zone and turned it over on 24 of them—that's north of 50%, and they also combined to ice the puck on three other occasions. It's an indication of how successfully the Kings were executing their forecheck but a player like Jason Demers needs to be better here; Brad Stuart and Scott Hannan are total lost causes on this front but Demers has the puck skills to move it out more effectively than he did last night.

For more on what scoring chances, zone entries and zone exits are, how they're tracked, and why they matter, read this post.