Jones, Kane help San Jose win 2nd in row against Los Angeles
The Sharks went without their muscle Wednesday, but it didn’t cost them in a 42 win over the Kings at SAP Center.
Evander Kane scored twice, and Tomas Hertl and Rudolfs Balcers had one goal each. Goalie Martin Jones made 42 stops and San Jose swept a twogame set for only the second time in 13 tries this season.
San Jose head coach Bob Boughner made tough guy Kurtis Gabriel a healthy scratch against the Kings a day after both were fined by the NHL for the forward’s pregame antics Monday.
Gabriel gave Kurtis MacDermid a twohanded shove in the back in warmups after the Kings’ enforcer skated a stride over the red line, an unwritten nono according to hockey etiquette. Because pregame shenanigans have long since been curtailed, the league levied fines of $3,000 to Gabriel and $5,000 to Boughner, who didn’t know about the incident until after San Jose’s 21 win.
Gabriel has suited up for 10 of 19 Sharks’ games since debuting Feb. 13 after teams had taken one too many liberties against San Jose. The 27yearold native of Newmarket, Ontario, has played the role to a hilt by earning four fighting majors, including one Monday with MacDermid.
And, though Gabriel has injected life and enthusiasm into the lineup, he also has taken it a bit too far. He had animated verbal confrontations with opposing tough guys Ryan Reaves of Vegas and Kyle Clifford of St. Louis before fighting each in games.
“He plays with an edge, with his heart on his sleeve and with a ton of passion, but it’s got to be controlled,” Boughner said. “That’s the second time we’ve talked to him, and he’s assured us that’s the end of it.”
Boughner sat Gabriel on Saturday after he earned a 10minute misconduct in the third period of a shootout loss against St. Louis on Friday. Though disappointed with the fine, Boughner said he agreed and respected the decision. He knew he didn’t have a choice but to again sit Gabriel, who is without a point and averaging 7:43 of ice time with a teamhigh 36 penalty minutes.
“All the other stuff outside the whistles has got to stop,” Boughner said. “I know the guys love having him around and they love having him in the lineup. He can have a nice career in this league if he just keeps it between the whistles.”
Gabriel said all of the right things afterward, but added his own twist of bravado.
“It’s time for me to move on,” Gabriel said. “I know what I can control between the whistles and I’ll have a lot more energy for that. I’m drooling for my next chance to play between the whistles.
“I know my presence has been felt now,” he added. “I have to focus on the game at hand when I get in there the next time. Absolutely I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I can control that for sure.”
Kane, who tied Logan Couture for the team lead in goals with 14, and Hertl scored 82 seconds apart early in the third period to break open a onegoal game. Kane and Balcers scored in the second before Alex Iafallo’s redirected goal with 12.4 seconds left cut the lead to 21 before the second intermission.