Sharks stomp Kings in decisive Game 1 victory

The San Jose Sharks decisively defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6-3 in Game 1 of their opening round Stanley Cup playoff series on Thursday night. The score doesn't do the Sharks' Game 1 performance justice, as they throttled the Kings mercilessly in the opening 40 minutes of the games and chased Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick.

The Sharks stuck three pucks into the Kings net in the first period, including two goals just 48 seconds apart in the final minute of the frame. Before the contest got out of hand, however, the Sharks and the Kings let their mutual enmity hang out in earnest: 

[Courtesy NHL.com via KingsVision]

Once the fisticuffs settled down the Sharks got back to the business of dominating the territorial battle and putting pucks past Quick. In the first two periods the Sharks managed to direct 28 shots on the Kings net, an impressive total considering that the Kings surrendered an average of 26 shots per game this season.

The Sharks didn't let up with the lead either, as they continued to press their advantage in the second frame. San Jose scored two more second period goals, and continued to spend the game controlling the puck in the Los Angeles end and peppering Quick with looks. 

The even-strength shot attempt chart lays plain that this was an example of men versus boys:

[Courtesy extraskater.com]

What did Kings coach Darryl Sutter think of his team's performance?

Game 2 of this opening round Stanley Cup playoff series goes Sunday at 10 p.m. EST.