Meier has record five-goal spree

Winger sets Sharks franchise mark as San Jose puts abrupt end to Kings’ win streak.

SAN JOSE 6, KINGS 2

SAN JOSE — Timo Meier set a San Jose franchise record with five goals Monday, and the Sharks used a huge first period to beat the Kings 6-2.

Meier, a sixth-year winger who made his first AllStar team this season, notched a hat trick before the first period even ended. He then scored his fourth goal less than two minutes into the second period and broke the Sharks’ record with his fifth just 27 seconds before the second intermission.

“It’s very special, I almost can’t even describe it,” the 25-year-old Meier said. “It’s a goosebump feeling.”

With fans chanting “Timo!, Timo!” at different points throughout the third period, Meier had a chance for his sixth goal midway through the period when he took the puck down the left side with open ice ahead of him, but Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson knocked the puck from his possession as Meier approached the net.

“I can’t remember if I’ve seen a guy that hot,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. “You could see guys looking at each other. It’s the way he scored them as well. The patience, the shots, picking the corners. Those goals were pretty goals.”

Joe Malone holds the NHL single-game record with seven goals, which he achieved with the Quebec Bulldogs back in 1920. Seven players have had six-goal games over the years.

Anze Kopitar and Anderson scored for Los Angeles, which had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Tomas Hertl had four assists for the Sharks, who had scored just one goal combined over their past two games. Erik Karlsson had three assists, including the 500th of his career, and Rudolfs Balcers had a goal and assist.

James Reimer, making his first start in net since Jan. 4 for San Jose because of a lower-body injury, had 39 saves.

With the Kings’ leading goal-scorer Adrian Kempe in the league’s COVID-19 protocol, rookie Samuel Fagemo joined Kopitar and Alex Iafallo on Los Angeles’ top line. A second-round pick in 2019, Fagemo made his NHL debut four days earlier against Pittsburgh.

Sharks winger Alexander Barabanov remained sidelined in COVID-19 protocol.

Darren Yamashita Associated Press TIMO MEIER (28) handles the puck as the Kings’ Tobias Bjornfot (7) and Alex Iafallo defend. Meier recorded a hat trick in the first period and had a chance to become the eighth player to score six goals in a game.