Vegas
12-26-2005, 07:34 PM
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Joe Thornton (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1600) and the San Jose Sharks (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=san) hope to avoid a fourth loss in five games when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
The Sharks had won their first six games since acquiring Thornton in a blockbuster deal with the Boston Bruins (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=bos) but subsequently have dropped three of their last four.
Thornton has failed to record a point in his last two games, both San Jose losses, including a 2-1 shootout defeat to St. Louis on Friday. He had registered a point in his previous 14 contests.
Nils Ekman (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1995) forced overtime by scoring with 1:04 left in regulation but failed to extend the shootout when he was stopped by rookie Jason Bacashihua (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=2901).
The Kings had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 5-3 setback at Edmonton on Friday in which the visitors allowed three third-period goals.
Defenseman Mattias Norstrom (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=709), Craig Conroy (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1195) and Mike Cammalleri scored for Los Angeles, which was concluding a three-game road trip. Cammalleri has four goals in as many games.
The Pacific Division rivals have met just once previously this season, on October 28, when the Sharks posted a 5-4 victory here.
The Sharks had won their first six games since acquiring Thornton in a blockbuster deal with the Boston Bruins (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=bos) but subsequently have dropped three of their last four.
Thornton has failed to record a point in his last two games, both San Jose losses, including a 2-1 shootout defeat to St. Louis on Friday. He had registered a point in his previous 14 contests.
Nils Ekman (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1995) forced overtime by scoring with 1:04 left in regulation but failed to extend the shootout when he was stopped by rookie Jason Bacashihua (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=2901).
The Kings had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 5-3 setback at Edmonton on Friday in which the visitors allowed three third-period goals.
Defenseman Mattias Norstrom (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=709), Craig Conroy (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=1195) and Mike Cammalleri scored for Los Angeles, which was concluding a three-game road trip. Cammalleri has four goals in as many games.
The Pacific Division rivals have met just once previously this season, on October 28, when the Sharks posted a 5-4 victory here.