Sharks 2, Kings 1
Go figure. After keeping the game tied in a ridiculous second period in which they have generated almost no offense, the Kings fell behind on a shorthanded goal. A long outlet pass found the stick of Tomas Plihal, who made a quick move on Jack Johnson and beat Jason LaBarbera with a wrister. The Kings are being outshot 17-2 in this period.

Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at 

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