Sharks Woes Continue As Kempe’s Hat Trick Leads Kings

LOS ANGELES — Adrian Kempe scored a hat trick and added an assist as the Los Angeles Kings pile on the San Jose Sharks’ troubles and win 7-2 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

Artemi Panarin had four assists, Joel Armia and Erik Haula each had a goal and an assist, and Quinton Byfield also scored twice for the Kings. Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves.

Macklin Celebrini and Ivar Stenberg scored for the San Jose Sharks. Celebrini snapped a six-game scoring slump. Eric Pohlkamp made his NHL debut, and Yaroslav Askarov made 21 saves. Michael Misa had two assists and was moved to the top line.

The Sharks have now lost six of the past seven games and need something to change to get out of this. At 5v5, the Sharks held their own somewhat, but their mistakes were costly, and the score proves it.

1st period

Artemi Panarin sends Kempe in on a breakaway, and his wrist shot beats Askarov by the blocker at 1:23 of the first period.

Kempe added a second to make it 2-0 at 16:09. Kempe got behind the Sharks’ defense and one-timed a shot through Askarov.

Byfield made it 3-0 with a power-play goal at 18:38. Panarin floated the puck into the bumper spot, and Byfield’s one-timer beat Askarov over the glove.

2nd period

Celebrini scored a power-play goal at 5:07 of the second period to get the San Jose Sharks on the board and make it 3-1. While playing on both power-play units, Celebrini took the puck into the slot and fired a wrister by Kuemper’s glove.

Eric Haula made it 4-1 at 11:10. Kenny Connors got his first NHL point after he wheeled around the net, spun, and found Haula unmarked through the middle. Haula went to the backhand and roofed the puck over Askarov.

Kempe completed the hat trick with a power-play goal at 15:51 to make it 5-1. Alex Laferriere slid a pass from the goal line across to Kempe for the one-timer over Askarov’s blocker.

3rd period

Joel Armia made it 6-1 for the Kings at 2:12 of the third period.

Stenberg scored with a wrist shot on the power play to make it 6-2 at 9:41

Byfiled tipped in a shot on the power play to make it 7-2.